Champ Demirsoy the one to watch

Derin Demirsoy of Turkey will be the rider to beat at next week's Al Rayyan Show Jumping Championship but the Netherlands-based athlete won't take things for granted.
On Saturday, Demirsoy won the QR 650,000 Grand Prix at the Qatar International Show Jumping Championship, beating names like Edwina Tops-Alexander of Australia and Bassem Mohammed of Qatar.
Demirsoy guided Harry K to the top prize worth QR 162,500. Harry K's wining time was 44.55 seconds in the 140-160cm class at Qatar Equestrian Federation's (QEF) Main Arena.
"The next week is a whole new week. We all start from zero," Demirsoy said when asked about his chances next week.
"I will try not to think about my win today. It's going to be difficult but I will do my best. The next week is a new page. We will try to do our best," he added.
"My horses will have a couple of easy days now before the next week's competition," Demirsoy said. "Honestly I will enjoy the first place for the moment," he added.
Demirsoy finished ahead of Saudi rider Ramzy Hamad Al Duhami who was astride Garlic VH Kapelhof (46.80 seconds, QR 130,00).
In third place was Qatar's Khalid Al Emadi (Tamira IV, 47.05 seconds, QR 97,500).
Tops-Alexander (Florette Van Het Lambroeck, 47.21 seconds, QR 65,000) and Jordan's Ibrahim Hani Bisharat (Bowie Z, 44.47 seconds, QR 45,500) completed the top-five.
"It's a great feeling to have won this competition. For sure, it (the desire to beat the best) helped me. I saw Ramzy's round. I saw which turns he took and which ones he didn't. Because of that I could chase his course route really well. It was a great advantage to me.
"At the end everything worked out the way I wanted to so I am very happy. God Willing, I will be here next week. I will be competing once again in Qatar," he said.
Earlier on Saturday, Kuwait's Ali Al Khorafi won the Mini-Grand Prix with Cheril in the 145cm class.
"It's really my pleasure to win this event held in Qatar. This was was our first show in 2016-17 season. A lot of Olympic riders were present here," Al Khorafi, riding under the FEI flag, said.
"The height is quite high in the final rounds and I had to take risks to clear them at speed. Lucky that I was the last jumper and top of it all my mare has been doing so well on the first two days. Great that it won today.
"Now this is my second year. She is improving every competition and next week I hope I will take her to a higher level. Every year I come to Qatar. The QEF are kind to the riders. Everything is super here."
"I won one competition and finished second before my win (on Saturday)," Khorafi said.
The 28-year-old said the sport is hugely popular in Kuwait.
"It's getting every year higher and higher. A lot of riders now," Al Khorafi said.
"We have sponsors backing our sport. Even our government, they are trying to promote the event aggressively. The show jumpers are doing well. I am lucky that I have a sponsor Zain in Kuwait. Hopefully we will do a great job at the the next week's competition," he said with a smile.
The Al Rayyan International Show Jumping Championship will be held from December 29-31.