TIM BRENNAN WINS THE HIS MAJESTY KING MOHAMMED VI GRAND PRIX IN EL JADIDA - MOROCCO ROYAL TOUR 2025
Forty-one riders lined up at the indoor arena of El Jadida to contest the CSI4*-W Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI — the grand finale of this 2025 Morocco Royal Tour. It was Ireland’s Tim Brennan who had the honour of taking the victory in this prestigious class, in front of HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, who, like the crowd, must have felt a rush of emotion watching the extraordinary comeback of his compatriot, El Ghali Boukaa, from eleventh to second place.
Belgian designer Louis Konickx built a challenging course - twelve obstacles, fifteen efforts - that skilfully blended technical elements with fluid lines. It was a serious test from the start, with the opening vertical and bending-line oxer setting an imposing size.
The track was unforgiving: light poles meant even a brush on the plank at fence 4 or the delicate vertical at fence 10 resulted in a fault. The difficulty was consistent, as demonstrated by faults being scattered throughout, a sign of excellent course design. Only five pairs managed clear rounds.
The winner confirmed the severity of the challenge: “I found the course very difficult. Almost 5* level, just a bit smaller, but truly selective.”
It took until the ninth rider, Italy’s Roberto Previtali with I’m Special Mess PS, to record the first clear. Twenty-three year old Portuguese rider Molly Hughes Bravo on HHS Tokyou soon joined him. Three more pairs would follow suit: Egypt’s Mouda Zeyada, Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Almobty, and 19-year-old Irish Tim Brennan.
The top eleven, the five clear rounds plus the six fastest four-faulters, returned for the second round, reduced to eight obstacles (nine efforts), on a tighter time and higher pace, as is tradition in such second rounds. There was total suspense as the four-fault riders could still win it all, while the clear-round riders risked losing everything. Morocco’s El Ghali Boukaa, for instance, immediately put the pressure on other competitors by producing a fast, faultless round in 42.79 seconds aboard A Kyss. Last to qualify, he climbed all the way from eleventh to second place, overtaking not only all the other four-faulters but also four of the five clear rounds.
Tim Brennan, for his part, opted for caution, ensuring the clear was a priority, which was no easy task on such a volatile track; precision and composure were key.
“I was lucky to be last to go. My mare is naturally quick, but today all I had to do was jump double clear. I tried to play it safe, maybe a bit too safe, took a few wide turns, and ended up with three time faults, something that had never happened to me before with her! Fortunately, she jumped incredibly in both rounds. She gave me everything.”
It came down to just thirty-three hundredths of a second; any slower, and the young Irishman would have picked up a fourth time fault, dropping to seventh place. An admirable display of composure for his age and for his first-ever 4* Grand Prix. Yet Timmy has one big advantage: he knows his mare inside out. “I bought Maradona as a five-year-old from Fanny Walsh at Sean Monaghan’s yard, where I was doing work experience. Thanks to them, I got to ride her early. We won team gold at the Junior Europeans when she was eight, and this year we took silver. She also won two 2* Grands Prix in Florida earlier this season. But this victory here: it’s the most special one. In five years, Maradona has taken me from zero to hero. She owes me nothing. This result tops everything. Winning my first 4* Grand Prix here: it’s a dream come true. I can hardly believe it.”
As for the other hero of the day, El Ghali Boukaa was just as overjoyed as the young Irishman: “To qualify as the very last rider (by only 24 hundredths) and finish second after having four faults in the first round, that’s something I never expected. When I came in for the second round, my plan was to jump a nice clear and aim for fifth or sixth. But when the bell rang, I changed my mind and decided to go fast, whatever happened. Finishing second under these circumstances feels like a victory. I’m so proud of my horse; he jumped incredibly today. It was a very technical course, truly worthy of a Grand Prix at this level. To ride here, in front of the Crown Prince and the Moroccan crowd, is always a deeply emotional moment.”
GRAND PRIX DE SA MAJESTÉ LE ROI MOHAMMED VI
CSI4*-W - 1.55m - CSI4*- deux manches/two rounds (result of the second)
- Tim Brennan, IRL – Diadema Della Caccia 0-3/54.67, 2)
- El Ghali Boukaa, MAR – A Kyss 4-0/42.79
- Mouda Zeyada, EGY – If Looks Could Kill O.H. 0-4/45.38
- Molly Hughes Bravo, POR – Hhs Tokyo 0-4/48.62
- Mans Thijssen, NED – Joviality 4-0/49.56
- Alexis Goulet, FRA – Be Hippy TT 4-0/49.80
- Leon Thijssen, NED – Hello 4-4/48.37
- Mel Thijssen, NED – Juice 4-4/48.71
- Roberto Previtali, ITA – I'M Special Mess PS 0-8/49.49
- Khaled Almobty, KSA – Spacecake 0-8/51.67
- Marek Lewicki, POL – La Pezi 4-8/50.43
--ENDS--
Edited by HT
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