Scott Brash, Scotland's world No.1 showjumper, says he is enthused by a string of young horses he hopes could be good enough to back up Hello Sanctos, his brilliant London 2012 gold medal winner.
Brash has showcased their quality at the London International Horse Show this week, with the highlight being a brilliant victory for Hello M'Lady in the H&M Ivy Stakes.
Hello Guv'nor and Hello Sunshine are also making considerable strides, which suggests the future is bright for the Peebles rider who has spent all of 2014 at the world rankings summit.
He won the lucrative Global Champions Tour overall series for a second successive year, and his mesmeric partnership with Sanctos is likely to spearhead Britain's bid for Rio 2016 qualification at the European Championships in Germany next summer.
Brash, though, also has one eye on the long-term with horse owners Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham, having established himself as world showjumping's biggest and brightest talent. "I've had a wonderful year," said the 29-year-old Scot. "Sanctos has been incredible all year, and it is really nice and promising to have some young horses coming up also. I have got three young horses here in London, and I have been really pleased with every single one. We've got high hopes for the future.
"It's tough to stay at No.1 but I must say I have wonderful horses. My team at home is great, my owners, my sponsors, also. Everyone does their bit to let us achieve our goals. We are in a good place right now.
"Sanctos can't be here forever, and you have to be able to take the pressure off. Winning at Geneva recently was brilliant, and coming here gives me a good opportunity for the young horses."
Hello M'Lady certainly displayed rich potential in claiming a thrilling jump-off success on Sunday night, and Brash added: "She is a special horse; I really have high hopes for her. She is a real top horse for the future, so I want to try and produce her as well as I possibly can.
"The horses need to come and experience crowds like this, with the atmosphere. It is a great show to bring them to in order to do that, and good education for the horses. I really think M'Lady is a star in the making. I think she is extra special, I really do. She has everything. She is very sensitive. You can't dominate her. She has to listen to you, but at the same time you have to let her half go her own way and work with her. We are building a good partnership."
Olympia's final day began with a second victory in 24 hours for German rider Marco Kutscher.
Kutscher, who won Sunday's headline Longines FEI World Cup class and £32,000, prevailed in the Equi-Trek Six Bar aboard Balermo.
The competition, with a maximum of five rounds, sees combinations jumping higher fences each time, and Kutscher did enough to edge out the challenges of Austrian Markus Saurugg and Germany's David Will, who finished tied second.
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