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Although rueful, Pippa Funnell and Sam Watson impress on Burghley cross-country day

Gemma Redrup Gemma Redrup

    • Pippa Funnell has thrown her hat into the ring of contenders at the Defender 2023 Burghley Horse Trials after a super round with Majas Hope. They jumped clear, but picked up 8.8 time-faults for finishing 22 seconds over the 11min 6sec Burghley Horse Trials cross-country optimum time. They go into fifth place at this stage of the competition with around a third of the field left to compete.

    Pippa and Majas Hope, who she co-owns with Marek Sebastek, were eighth after the first phase on 29.6 and a good clear jumping round today could pay dividends given the track has caused its fair share of problems.

    “I was probably hoping to be a bit quicker, but I had a super round with no scary moments,” explained Pippa. “I often lose my time in the first 90 seconds in order to get to the end of the course and ultimately he came home really well.”

    Pippa has to be tactical prior to setting out on the cross-country with Majas Hope.

    “I can’t jump warm up fences as he gets too wound up so I have to take time jumping the first three fences on course to make sure everything is ok,” she explained.

    Sam Watson had an incredible round with SAP Talisman, who is barely 16hh, to finish one second over the optimum time. This is good enough to put them into third at this stage of Burghley Horse Trials cross-country day having been 36th after the dressage.

    “He made me work more than any other horse – I thought at some point he would drop the bridle but he wrestled me the whole way home,” explained Sam of the horse his wife Sparkles Watson co-owns with his mother Julia Watson. “He was a lion out there. If I could have settled him, I’d have been inside the time.”

    The USA’s Will Faudree and Mamas Magic Way, who was ninth after the dressage, jumped clear but picked up 12.4 time-faults across country. This puts them into sixth at this stage of the day.

    “He jumped great and I got home but I’ve got to come back and do better,” said a slightly rueful Will.

    End of day update: Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope are in eighth, Sam Watson and SAP Talisman are in fifth while Will Faudree and Mamas Magic Way finish the day in 11th.

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    Gemma Redrup
    Gemma Redrup

    H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor
    Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
    Gemma Redrup

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