Maher leaves best until last at Olympia

Maher had been placed in eight classes and easily won the H and M Leading Rider of Show award but a win at the prestigious end of year pre-Christmas event had otherwise eluded him until the last moment.

Riding Diva ll for Russian owner Tatiana Korsakova, Maher came off best in a five-horse jump-off, producing a clear round of the course in a time of 40.17 seconds to take the honours.

The popular Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten, who had a good show with five places and two wins, finished second on VDL Groep Arera C in a time of 40.66 seconds, ahead of Frenchman Kevin Staut on Ayade de Septon et Hdc on 40.96 seconds.

World number one Scott Brash on Hello Guv’nor - owned by Lady Kirkham - produced the first clear round of the class, but the big atmosphere proved a little too much for this relatively inexperienced horse in the jump-off. After the nine-year-old horse ran out at a fence collecting 14 faults, Brash took him through the line steadily to finish fourth.

Fifth-placed John Whitaker, who has also had a good week with five places and a win, thrilled the crowd with a clear round on Argento, however the stallion found himself in too deep to a fence in the jump-off and pulled himself up, and duly retired from the competition.

Maher’s win was a welcome boost at the end of a mixed year which has seen him drop out of the world number two spot with a series of mishaps with horses, including the withdrawal of Cella just before the World Equestrian Games.

“It’s been a tough year but I’ve kept working hard,” said Maher, who now takes off for Miami to ride the horses he has based in Florida.

“It’s all been down to my grooms, who have been running everything behind the scenes while I’ve just flown in to ride.

"My main aim next year is the European Championships where I’m confident that Britain will qualify for the Rio Olympics.

“We’ve always had good riders and we will get there.”