‘He was sharp — but I prefer that, it gives him presence’: Daisy Berkeley takes Blair lead

Daisy Berkeley leads the CCI4*-S at the Land Rover Blair Castle Horse Trials after the culmination of the dressage today (Friday, 23 August).

The British Olympian put in an assured test on the 10-year-old Ballinteskin Cooper S, who is owned by Roxana Janet White and Mary Scott-Gall, as well as Daisy and her mother Caroline. The pair scored 30.4, which puts them just 0.1 of a penalty ahead of the chasing pack.

“I’m really pleased — although I got a fly in my eye after the half pirouette and when I tried to get it out, he jogged,” said Daisy. “But I would rather have him a bit sharp than lazy. It’s no fun when they are lazy and he has more presence when he’s sharp.”

Daisy rode Ballinteskin Cooper S here last year, running slowly across country to be sure of a qualification, but had not been at the venue since 2011 before that.

“I love Blair — the ground is amazing and the hills are always testing,” she said. “It’s like trotting on one of those waxy surfaces.”

France’s Astier Nicolas (Babylon De Gamma) and Britain’s Sam Ecroyd (Davinci III) sit in joint second behind Daisy, having both scored 30.5.

The showjumping for this class takes place tomorrow, with the cross-country on Sunday.

Astier also leads the CCI3*-S, riding SARL Ecurie Jean Louis Bouchard’s Lumberton, who the rider described as “very cool bloke – very laidback in all three phases”.

Chandler heads four-star long

Emilie Chandler heads the small CCI4*-L, which has just nine starters, riding Maria Doel’s Gortfadda Diamond, another 10-year-old. The pair scored 31.8.

She said: “He is a really classy horse who has just stepped up to this level this season. The loudspeaker crackled really loudly during our test, which unsettled us both, but I’m thrilled to be in the lead, even if it wasn’t our best test.”

Overnight leader Emma Murray held her lead through the final session of CCI2*-L this morning, finishing the day as the only international competitor in any class to have broken the 30-barrier after she scored 28.6 yesterday on her husband Shaun’s Wainthropp. The Aberdeenshire rider took over the horse when Shaun broken his collarbone in May.

“Blair is my favourite event so I thought we’d come here and have a nice time,” said Emma. “She’s good at dressage – we are going to the British Dressage National Championships at Stoneleigh at elementary level in two weeks’ time – but I didn’t expect to be out in front.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

Burghley Horse Trials 2019 draw revealed: former winners run at the end

The draw has been done for this year’s Burghley Horse Trials, with Tim Price the pathfinder on Bango, as well

‘This is the stuff dreams are made of’: Gareth Hughes dazzles in grand prix special as Germans top podium

Gareth Hughes provides a super result for Britain in the grand prix special at the European Championships

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

All the competitors in the “long” classes run across country tomorrow and showjump on Sunday.

More news from Blair on horseandhound.co.uk over the weekend, plus full report in next week’s magazine (dated 29 August).

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.