Daniel Deusser plays his queen in Doha

If the first round of the Grand Prix imagined by the Dutch track master Louis Konickx didn’t seem insurmountable tonight at the Al Shaqab CHI, the second and the jump-off were quite well sorted out. For good reason, only eight couples qualified for the final test, and six scored a triple zero.

Daniel Deusser, who started in the second part of the play-off, shared his experience with the young Killer Queen VDM, winner of the Longines World Cup in Mechelen at the end of December under very different conditions. This time, the mare owned by the Stephex stables was able to express herself fully on the huge track of the magnificent Al Shaqab facilities. Fortunately, the grandstands were much more crowded than in previous days, and she and her rider stopped the clock in 38″9, becoming the only couple to go under the thirty-nine second mark. A success that offered Daniel Deusser the sweet sum of 135,300 euros.

Delighted with the progress of his protégée, the rider from the Stephex stables does not rule out the possibility of taking Killer Queen VDM to the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer. Despite her young age, he believes that she has made incredible progress in the last six months, which could lead her to surpass her other horses such as Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z or Jasmien v. Bisschop. That’s how much he esteems this fighter daughter of Eldorado v. Zeshoek!

As discreet in public as on horseback, Max Kühner offered the public – admittedly not very knowledgeable – three remarkable courses of fluidity with the so young Elektric Blue P, a nine-year-old gelding by a certain… Eldorado v. Zeshoek! Also a triple zero in 39″39, the Austrian had challenged the competition by starting at the beginning of the play-off. Bought at the age of two by his rider who had already noticed his facilities, the bay seems to have very nice hours ahead of him after this magnificent second place!

Started in third position after two rather impeccable courses, Roger-Yves Bost and Sangria du Coty have certainly signed one of their most beautiful jump-off today by crossing the finish line in 39″68. Fifth in the Bordeaux World Cup at the beginning of the month, the Barbizonnais and its bay proved once again that they are in good shape. Well determined to defend his Olympic team medal, the 50-year-old will in any case take care of Quaprice Bois Margot’s daughter to make sure he flies to Japan in July. Tonight, he was the very first Frenchman to climb on the podium at the CHI in Al Shaqab. Hats off Bosty!