BILLY Twomey took Ireland's highest place of the weekend to date when finishing as runner-up in the 1m.50 Jump Off class at Doha, Qatar tonight (Friday) with Sue Davies's gifted bay stallion 'Je t'Aime Flamenco'.

With the 475,000 euro Global Champions Tour Grand Prix taking place tomorrow afternoon at the five-star show, the Cork rider was in sparkling form tonight against a star-studded international field, conceding the winner's trophy by only an eighth of a second to Brazil's Bernardo Alves and 'Kingly du Reverdy' in the second round 15 horse jump-off.

Doha is the first leg of the rich 2011 Global Champions' Tour, and Ireland is also represented at the Qatar venue by Denis Lynch, Mark McAuley and Jessica Kurten.

Billy Twomey