Burghley cross-country times released: leader runs at 3.29pm
The cross-country times for tomorrow’s sport at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials have been released.
The day’s action is kicking off at 11.15am and Tom Crisp will be the first person on course, riding Coolys Luxury.
The second pair, Paul Sims on Glengarnock, go five minutes later. Thereafter horses start at four-minute intervals.
Dressage leader Chris Burton will head out on course as one of the last riders, at 3.29pm. He rides the 11-year-old Nobilis 18. Although he has won Adelaide CCI4* twice and is an Olympic team bronze medallist, the Australian has never won a British four-star so is bidding to change that this weekend.
Oliver Towenend is the final rider on course at 3.45pm with MHS King Joules. He is the best of the Brits after dressage in fifth place. Third-placed Andrew Nicholson (Nereo) also heads out of the start box towards the end of the day, at 2.51pm.
Overnight runner-up Bettina Hoy’s start time is 1.09pm with Designer 10. She was European champion at Burghley in 1997, but didn’t actually win the event as New Zealander Mark Todd took the top honours.
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H&H’s blogger Ben Way is the sixth rider out on course, riding ex-racehorse Galley Light. He starts at 11.36am.
Continued below…
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H&H Live: Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2016
The optimum time on Mark Phillips’ cross-country course is 11min 15sec and Andrew Nicholson said today he doesn’t expect any rider to come home within this target.
Seventy horses will start the cross-country, assuming none are withdrawn after the dressage phase.
Full 17-page report of Burghley in H&H next week (dated 8 September), including expert comment from ground jury president Sue Baxter and cross-country course-designer Mark Phillips, as well as thrills and spills photos and full analysis of every phase.
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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.