Price right on top but Todd bites dust
New Zealand equestrian Tim Price tops the leaderboard at the Burghley Horse Trials in England after the cross-country phase, as overnight Saturday leader Sir Mark Todd had a day to forget.
Price and his horse Ringwood Sky Boy remained composed as they conquered the challenging crosscountry course, coming home just outside the time allowed to add 0.4 penalty points to their tally and finish the day on 27.3 early yesterday.
Andrew Nicholson is the next best placed New Zealander in fifth.
Overnight leader Todd fell off Kiltubrid Rhapsody and they were eliminated, though he did finish on Campino to lie in 19th.
“I am so pleased with him,” Price said of his mount. “He just ate it up. He showed all his class and experience. I am pretty elated . . . It comes down to a horse I know very well and vice versa, and perfect conditions. It was just a nice day at the office and they come around every so often — I will take it.”
With less than a rail across the top four, there will be plenty of pressure in the showjumping.
“He’s not the world’s best showjumper,” said Price of Ringwood Sky Boy, “but he is the world’s greatest trier. I think both my horses have come into this competition as good as you could have hoped . . . and we hope for a good day [today].”
Right behind Price and Ringwood Sky Boy is defending champ Oliver Townend aboard Ballaghmor Class on 27.9, with fellow Britons Piggy French aboard Vanir Kamira and Harry Meade on Away Cruising on 31.1.
Five-time Burghley champion Nicholson is fifth on Swallow Springs — one of just four combinations to ride clear and inside time — on 32.1.
Nicholson is also eighth aboard Jet Set IV on 36.2 after adding just 2.4 time penalties and bounding up 21 slots on the leaderboard. Price, on his other horse Bango, is 17th, with Todd and NZB Campino 19th, and Dan Jocelyn and Dassett Cool Touch 32nd.
Caroline Powell and On the Brash are 36th on 70.7. Debutante Ginny Thompson and Star Nouveau were unlucky to pick up 20 but finished the day in 40th. Overnight leader Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody parted company at fence 10 to be eliminated, but walked back to the stables.
Nicholson was pleased with Swallow Springs, a horse many are pegging as his next star.
“He’s young but very classy and always a bit cheeky, so it is up to me to ride him properly,” said Nicholson. “He’s a bit like [hat-trick Burghley winner] Avebury, too — you’ve got to ride him like you stole him.”
Todd was happy with NZB Campino’s efforts. They had a slight hiccup at The Maltings where he went to turn left but lost his left rein, forcing him to go the long way and adding 15 seconds to their time. “It is tough out there,” he said. “The hills certainly have their affect on the horses.”