Top 5 finish for Tops-Alexander

Edwina Tops-Alexander & Ego Van Orti 

At the 2013 Global Champions Tour of Estoril 
Photograph:Stefano Grasso/GCT

The Doha Grand Prix was won by Britain’s Scott Brash who in claiming the round win also became the overall Global Champions Tour champion for 2013.

Tops-Alexander will now turn her attention to the 2013/14 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping series where she is already making an impact after four rounds. The 39 year old is currently ranked fifth in the Western European League.

More information on how the 2013 Global Champions Tour season finale unfolded is available athttp://www.globalchampionstour.com

Edwina searching for third GCT series crown

Australia' Edwina Tops-Alexander is vying for her third successive Global Champions Tour series crown at this weekend's season finale in Doha, Qatar but she has eight other riders to overcome if she is to clinch the 2013 title.

Unlike last year where the race to the championship came down to Tops-Alexander and just one other rider, this year’s Championship is wide open and promises to be a spectacular contest.

Tops-Alexander is the defending Global Champions Tour champion having won the overall series title in 2011 and 2012 and her consistency throughout the 2013 season has placed her third on the leader board ahead of Saturday’s Grand Prix decider.

Highlights of her 2013 season include second in Wiesbaden with Cevo Itot du Chateau and third in Monte Carlo with Guccio.

It will be the bay gelding Ego van Orti that will carry the Australian in the final and for the nine year old it will be his first Global Champions Tour Grand Prix.

As well as placing strongly, the 39 year old will need the results of other riders to fall favourably. Current series leader American Laura Kraut has the advantage on 187 points but is closely followed by Christian Ahlmann who is just two points behind. Tops-Alexander is six points off the pace and there are a string of other riders within reach of her.