Zara Phillips is best of the British riders in the senior CCI3* at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials after the first day of dressage.
Riding Trevor Hemmings’ Lord Lauries, Zara scored 45.6 to slot in just behind the leader, France’s Maxime Livio (44.4).
Lord Lauries was produced to three-star level by Germany’s Olympic individual bronze medallist Sandra Auffarth, with Zara taking over in 2010. The pair were recently eighth in the CIC3* at Houghton (pictured).
The 12-year-old by Laralle makes his Bramham debut, while Zara has tasted success here before — she won the under-25 section in 2002 on Toytown.
Leader Maxime has made an excellent start in a bid to improve on his third place here in the under-25s in 2010 on Jaipur II.
His mount this time is his own and Philippe Magnen’s Cathar De Gamel, a 12-year-old by Quatar De Plape who won Sandillon CIC3* in May.
Should Maxime win, he would be the first French rider to take the senior CCI3* here since Didier Seguret on Lotoise in 1989.
William Fox-Pitt — who holds the record for Bramham wins with six in this class so far — sits in third on Running Order, a new ride for him this year.
On form riders Gemma Tattersall (Arctic Soul) and Vittoria Panizzon (Merlots Magic) are tied for fourth place.
British amateur rider Janine Jansen — a BBC Spotlight presenter — leads the BETA CIC3* on her own Velocity II with a mark of 43.4.
The Bishop Burton College under-25 CCI3* competitors all have their dressage tomorrow, while all classes run across country over Ian Stark’s tracks on Saturday.
Log back on for updates from Bramham over the weekend. Full report in H&H next Thursday (13 June).
