Britain’s David Doel has stormed into the lead after the second session of Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage this morning (4 September).
Riding his brilliant five-star campaigner Galileo Nieuwmoed, David scored 29.6 – a personal best for this horse at five-star level.
Their test was a “clear round”, with the 14-year-old Galileo Nieuwmoed, owned by David, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas, producing a pleasing picture, with movements mostly marked between 6.5 and 7.5.
“We’ve worked really hard on his dressage and it’s finally paid off and he’s been able to show everyone what he’s capable of,” explained an understandably delighted David. “We nailed it today – we lunged and rode him for the right time this morning and he’s feeling the best he’s ever felt in his body. I’ve got to write this all down and remember it for next time.”
David said that it was “definitely the best he’s ever gone in the ring”.
“He was really settled, really rideable, and just nailed everything. That’s probably about the best he’s going to really ever be able to do.”
When asked about how he’s achieved this improvement in Galileo Nieuwmoed’s Burghley Horse Trials dressage, David Doel said that he hasn’t made any major changes to this horse’s training regime.
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“He’s 14 years old now – he knows how to go sideways, he knows how to do his flying-changes – it’s just really been a case of getting him settled in the ring.
“We’ve just changed his warm-up a little bit. He went for quite a long loose lunge this morning to let him get all the bucks and excitement out of him without working his body too hard. He’s not built for dressage and so I think in the past, we’ve probably made him a little bit tired in his body, and he’s got a bit cranky about that.”
David and Galileo Nieuwmoed are famed for their fast clears across country, with eight clear cross-country jumping rounds at five-star level under their belt, and David is relishing the prospect of Saturday’s cross-country test.
“This horse loves his galloping and jumping and is an absolute weapon across country and I love riding him, so I’m really looking forward to it,” said David.
Grace Taylor moves into top three after Burghley Horse Trials dressage performance
British-based US rider Grace Taylor has slotted into third place. She scored 32.4 aboard her mother Ann Taylor’s 13-year-old gelding, Game Changer, and sits 1.5 penalties behind current leader Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit.
Game Changer and Grace produced a polished test with consistently good marks for most movements, but their score dropped owing to a break in the extended trot and he also kicked out in two of his flying-changes.
“I’m pleased, but there is definitely room for improvement, but he was a good boy,” said Grace, who is 29 and has completed Badminton twice with this horse. “His half-passes have come on, even in the past three days, and he is more supple through those now.
“He is also more ‘up’ and in front of the leg, and actually that’s probably where some of our mistakes crept in as he was much more in front of the leg than I expected him to be.”
Grace explained that she has been trying to improve a few areas of Game Changer’s flatwork.
“My trainer Lisa White and I have been working on having him much more strong, supple and in front of the leg and he’s enjoying his dressage more. He was always more of a jumping horse, but I always knew he could do really good dressage test, so I was frustrated with myself that I wasn’t getting the marks, but it’s getting there.”
The Burghley Horse Trials dressage recommences at 2pm.
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She 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 Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
