Two horses withdrawn before Burghley trot-up including top-10 contender

Two horses were withdrawn before the final trot-up at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials this morning.

Bill Levett’s ride Improvise — owned by Ali Butler, Elisabeth Murdoch and rider’s wife Jenny — was the best-placed of the two horses who were pulled out. The Australian pair lay ninth overnight with a jumping clear across country yesterday and 20 time-faults.

The other horse who was withdrawn was Imogen Gloag’s Brendonhill Doublet. British rider Imogen, 21, made her Burghley debut this week as the youngest rider. She held 40th overnight after 20 penalties across country, at the Land Rover Dairy Farm (14abc), and 77.2 time-penalties.

Thirty-eight horses came before the ground jury (Sue Baxter, David Lee and Anne-Metter Binder) at the final horse inspection and all were accepted. None were sent to the holding box, although there was a little discussion before Fernhill Fugitive (ride of the USA’s Phillip Dutton) and Nereo (ride of New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson) were accepted.

The morning’s showjumping starts at 11.15am and 14 horses will jump in the first session. The top 24 jump this afternoon, with that session starting at 2.25pm. Follow all the action with H&H Live.

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The best-dressed prizes at the final horse inspection went to H&H blogger Ben Way (rider of Galley Light) and Ros Canter (rider of Allstar B).

The groom’s award for the best-cared-for horse went to Harriet Waldron, groom of Becky Woolven’s ride Charlton Down Riverdance. Charlotte Brear received the runner-up prize for her care of her own ride Manor Missile.

The Worshipful Company of Farriers’ prize for the best-shod horse went to Jim Hayter for his shoeing of Coolys Luxury — the same horse-farrier combination also took this award in 2014.

Full 17-page report of Burghley in H&H next week (dated 8 September), including expert comment from ground jury president Sue Baxter and cross-country course-designer Mark Phillips, as well as thrills and spills photos and full analysis of every phase.

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.