The Badminton Horse Trials cross-country times have been released for tomorrow’s five-star action over Eric Winter’s track. The full list features 83 starters, and here are some of the key contenders to look out for:
Laura Collett, who leads the dressage on a score of 21 will leave the start box at 2.42pm on her Tokyo gold medallist London 52, owned by Keith Scott, Karen Bartlett and the rider.
Her Olympic team-mate Tom McEwen, second after the first phase on Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns and Ali McEwen’s Toledo De Kerser, will set an early standard from among the leaders as he is fourth out on the track at 11.42am.
Kitty King, who produced a five-star personal best of 24.8 to sit in third on her European team gold medallist Vendredi Biats, will kick off her cross-country campaign at 1.26pm. The grey will be cheered on by his band of owners, Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd-Baker, Sally Eyre and Samantha Wilson.
The Luhmühlen winner Mollie Summerland bids to cement her dazzling Badminton debut on fourth-placed Charly Van Ter Heiden, who will tackle the course at 1.22pm, with Kitty hot on her heels.
Oliver Townend has two horses in the top 10 and will start on Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s Swallow Springs (currently equal sixth) – at 11.58am. His second ride, Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class, lies equal eighth and is due out at 4.38pm.
Piggy March is joint sixth with Oliver riding Vanir Kamira, and they set out to defend their title at 12.10pm.
Ros Canter is another double-handed at the business end of the leader board. Her own and Caroline Moore’s world champion Allstar B starts from 12th place at 11.54am, while Michele Saul’s 10th-placed Lordships Graffalo is due off at 4.34pm.
Other riders to watch are Pippa Funnell, who has 11th-placed MGH Grafton Street running at 4.42pm and Billy Walk On (equal 16th) at 12.02pm. William Fox-Pitt also has two rides, with his 15th-placed Little Fire due out at 4.30pm.
The reigning European champion JL Dublin is set for his five-star cross-country debut under Nicola Wilson at 11.50am. The Lamberts and Deirdre Johnston’s 11-year-old is currently in 13th spot on 26.5.
There are just two non-British riders in the top 10, America’s Tamie Smith – fifth on Mai Baum – and Kiwi Amanda Pottinger, whose Just Kidding is equal eighth with Ballaghmor Class. Tamie starts her cross-country round at 12.26pm, while Amanda goes at 12.46pm
The cross-country action tomorrow starts at 11.30am. Brit Kirsty Chabert is the pathfinder riding her father John Johnston and Carole Somers’ mare Classic IV. Her French husband Arthur Chabert heads out on Goldsmiths Imber at 3.38pm.
Kylie Roddy is the final rider listed on the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country times, starting at 4.58pm on the Fox family’s SRS Kan Do (20th after dressage on 29.4).
You may also like to read…
‘It smacks you in the face that you’re at a five-star’: riders’ reactions to the Badminton cross-country course
Watch Andrew Hoy walk the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course: ‘A true five-star test’
‘I can’t believe how emotional I am’: Laura Collett storms into the lead on day two of Badminton dressage
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