Austin O’Connor has charged into the lead in the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country at the five-star event, presented by Mars Equestrian.
The Irishman rode a highly competitive round with the outstanding cross-country horse Colorado Blue, including making light work of the direct route at The Lake. They came home just 20sec over the optimum time, making them the fastest pair of the day so far, with just 10.8pen sending them into the lead at this stage.
Watch Austin speak after his round
“He’s full of class. He’s one of the best horses in the world, in my opinion,” said Austin. “It was a lot more difficult a round than I would normally have, but he dug deep and kept galloping.”
Tim Price also jumped a super clear around the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country with 24 time-penalties on Vitali, with whom he lay equal 11th overnight.
Watch Tim talk about Vitali’s performance
The 2022 Badminton winner Laura Collett has opted to withdraw her 2023 ride Dacapo, the 14-year-old Diarado gelding owned by Diana Chappell, Gillian Morris-Adams, Alison and Michel Smedley and Carolyn Taylor. The pair lay seventh after the dressage phase and had been due to start the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course at 3.22pm this afternoon.
Kylie Roddy is another withdrawal; she and the Earl Grey Tea Party-Goers’ 17-year-old Carden Earl Grey lay 22nd overnight but will not run across country today.
Fiona Kashel has withdrawn her second ride, Frank Breach’s Creevagh Silver De Haar (equal 36th after dressage), after having a fall from WSF Carthago earlier today.
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