Ben Maher’s bang-on
The British winner blasts his way to grand prix glory to become LGCT champion
BEN MAHER was crowned the overall winner of the 2018 Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) after grand prix victory in the penultimate leg in Rome.
“To win is a dream come true,” said Ben, who rode the Poden Farms’ nine-year-old Explosion W to a third victory this season.
“It has been an incredible season and it’s great to be back at the top end of the sport,” he added.
Paying tribute to the fivestar horsepower he’s had this season, the newly crowned LGCT champion of champions said: “I have a lot to thank Poden
Farms and the Moffitt family for. It is a team effort. I’ve been competing in the LGCT since almost the beginning and never really come close — I never had the horsepower or the number of horses. To finish in style like this is something I will savour.
“Explosion W is incredibly fast — I have never ridden a horse as fast without really pushing him. What a horse.”
Ben’s victory in Rome came after a five-rider jump-off and, drawn last, the pressure was immense. However, as this pair have done so often this season, they delivered a mesmerising round of high-speed, precision jumping to take top honours in 37.45sec, nearly a second quicker than Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (Cantinero) in second, with Jos Verlooy of Belgium third on Caracas. Finishing just off the podium with the fourth double clear was Ireland’s Michael G Duffy on Castlefield Rubinus.
“Explosion wasn’t quite as relaxed in the first couple of rounds, but as I was warming up for the grand prix, I could feel him kicking into gear,” said Ben, whose first two LGCT wins this season came in Madrid and St Tropez, with a second place in Shanghai.
“I was fortunate to go last,” he added. “He’s naturally very fast and I made one or two mistakes in previous rounds which cost me greatly, so I’m very proud of him.”
Ben will head to the championship finale in Doha, Qatar, in November before the new GC Play-offs in Prague in December, as his team the London Knights currently head the Global Champions League championship and Ben is also qualified for the first-ever LGCT super grand prix.
“No one deserved this more than Ben,” said LGCT president Jan Tops. “He’s had the goal to win this, the most difficult championship to win over 16 legs, against all the best horses and riders in the world. The 2018 winner is decided but Alberto Zorzi, Scott Brash and Christian Ahlmann could all finish on the podium at the final [in Doha].”
STAYING FOCUSED
THE Global Champions League of Rome went to Miami Celtics, represented by Jessica Springsteen and Denis Lynch.
“The focus is on,” said the Irishman. “The rounds are not for the day but for the overall championship and for Doha, and we are looking ahead to the Playoffs. We came to do a job, keep the focus and do the best we could.”
In the CSI2* 1.45m grand prix, victory went to Ellen Whitaker and the nine-year-old mare Casaktie.