Maher on form but just misses out at Olympia

AMERICAN rider Laura Kraut won the curtain-closing Olympia Grand Prix at the London International Horse Show.

Kraut, who won Olympic team gold in Hong Kong in Beijing, triumphed over a high-class field of 29 riders on board Miss Independent.

But British Olympian Ben Maher did enough to win the £10,000 prize as H&M leading rider of the show.

The Essex rider finished second in the Grand Prix with Robin Hood W, pipped to first place by six-hundredths-of-a second, with Ireland's Denis Lynch third and Robert Whitaker fourth.

"I couldn't be more excited. It has been a great year, and I have got no complaints," said Florida-based Kraut.

"This show has been absolutely fantastic. I know the crowd wanted a British winner tonight, but I was really made to feel welcome."

Maher added: "I have been chipping away slowly, and had a lot of clear rounds. I really wanted to win, but my horses aren't quite ready to win yet."