TIPPERARY’s Shane Breen was in sparkling form on opening day at the five-star CHI Al Shaqab in Doha, Qatar winning the 1.45m two-phase special with his talented 11-year-old grey mare Haya, who he originally found competing in France with Co Antrim rider Harold Megahey.

The five-star jumping action in Doha is contested this week by Trevor and Shane Breen, Denis Lynch, Mark McAuley, Denis Lyncha and Michael Duffy with Shane putting in an exhibition in Thursday’s opening class. Haya (My Lord Carthago x For Pleasure) gave an outstanding performance to win from 42 starters in 30.84 seconds after overhauling Frenchman Kevin Staut’s time of 31.12 on the 10-year-old bay mare Dialou Blue PS. Brazilian Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa finished third in a close 31.60 with the chesnut gelding Carte de Blue PS Marathon.

“I bought Haya from Harold Megahey after a tip-off from Trevor who said I should try her. Harold was jumping her but had taken the mare home so I slept on it and then spoke to Harold and bought her without even trying her,” Breen said afterwards.

“She has a big stride when you let her go, I thought I would try it. She hasn’t been out for a while. I don’t say it was my plan to win today but every day you have to have a go. Haya doesn’t look spectacular when she jumps, but my God if she knocks a fence it’s my fault. She has a heart as big as a lion, she’s super smart and I am delighted to have her with Breen Equestrian and Old Lodge.

“She enjoyed it, she came out afterwards and was super chilled and hopefully we can win again tomorrow. Al Shaqab is fantastic, it’s great to be back again, the arena and facilities are amazing.”

It has been a busy winter for Breen who has commuted six times back to Waterford from the Middle East to hunt as joint-master with the Scarteen and Waterfords on two days mid-week. The Doha media were more than impressed on his commuting to hunt and heard how he has had 12 days hunting this winter, stabling his hunters with Mary Kehoe and Michael Condon.

Judy Reynolds and Dane Rawlins are competing in the five-star dressage at the venue. A full report from the show will appear next week.