William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes might just have more in common than first meets the eye.
The two iconic British literary heroes share an unlikely connection in that they both helped show jumping star Harry Charles to sporting glory this summer.
Bentworth star Charles, 25, rode to Olympic gold on his gelding Romeo 88 at Paris 2024 and just two weeks later he was standing on top of the Longines Global Champions Tour podium alongside stallion Sherlock.
It is a completely coincidental luck of the name according to Charles, who has seen a whirlwind few weeks catapult him into the spotlight.
The 25-year-old jumped to glory alongside Scott Brash and Ben Maher in Paris – the same pair who took gold for Team GB at London 2012 alongside his father, Peter Charles.
And following his home soil Grand Prix victory on the grounds on the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Charles insists his aptly-named horses are shining just as brightly as him this summer.
“It feels incredible,” he said. “Momentum is a big thing in this sport and to win here at home two weeks after that Olympic gold medal is pretty cool.
“It's been a bit of a whirlwind really, maybe I'm not as focused as I should be but it worked.
“I'm really happy for Sherlock most of all. He was actually close behind Romeo for the Olympics so this was his chance to shine and he's incredible so I'm really proud of him.”
The bond between horse and rider is one of the greatest parts of jumping as a sport.
Raising the horses day in and day out and preparing them for competition is the be all and end all of a rider's day.
Charles was forced to withdraw Romeo from the individual Olympic competition after winning team jumping gold because of an injury.
But with a young gun of Sherlock also in the stable, the Olympic champion revealed he has always believed the inquisitive stallion was made for great things.
“I've known Sherlock since he was five and we've done everything together from his first show all the way to his first Grand Prix,” he said.
“I've always said since he was a young horse, even when people didn't believe that he was one of the best horses I'd ever ridden.
“He's had two Grand Prix wins now in the past eight months and he's only at the start of his career. So I'm so happy for him to get his big win at home.”
Following a crazy two weeks on podiums and interviews, Charles noted that he is now finally allowing himself a break to reflect on what he believes to be his ‘best summer ever’.
LONGINES Global Champions Tour. Unique and iconic locations in dynamic capital cities and breathtaking Riviera destinations. The best riders guaranteeing high octane top sport for fans at every event. Precision, power, and elegance combined in one spectacular championship series. For more information visit www.gcglobalchampions.com
By Megan Armitage