Badminton top 10 in pictures: Ros Canter still heads the field after influential cross-country day

Cross-country day at Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, led to a serious tussle at the top of the leaderboard, and not just due to Eric Winter’s tough 30-fence track, but also because of the energy-sapping rain-drenched and holding ground, which meant that there were no clear rounds inside the time.

But while there were a number of falls, run-outs and retirements on track, former World Champion Ros Canter pulled off one of the rounds of the day to hold on to pole position with Lordships Graffalo.

“Walter’s an amazing horse. He had to dig deep today, but he answered every question. I didn’t change any of the plans I had [while out on course], but I just had to remind myself which horse I was getting on and what their habits are,” said Ros, referring also to Pencos Crown Jewel, one of the early runners who ended up in seventh place.

Irishman Austin O’Connor, who has long been renowned for his turn of speed across country, rose from equal 34th after the dressage into second after achieving the fastest round of the day — for 10.8 penalties — with Colorado Blue. Should he be able to pull off a win tomorrow, he would be the first Irish victor for 58 years.

“He’s an incredible horse and I’ve said for years that he’s one of the best cross-country horses in the world and I’m privileged to ride one like him,” said Austin.

Former Badminton winner Oliver Townend leapfrogged up the order, from sixth after the dressage into third with Ballaghmor Class.

“He’s very special,” said Oliver. “I’m not eloquent enough to tell everyone how much he means to me.”

Scroll down to see images of the top 10 after cross-country and read their thoughts on their rounds.

Ros and Lordships Graffalo ran towards the end of the class of 64 horses, stopping the clock with 11.6 faults, which turned out to be the second fastest time of the day. 

“Wasn’t he amazing, as always,” she said. “He’s never had to dig that deep before; he’s always found life easy. A horse like him should be celebrated — I’ve not sat on anything like him before. The ground was more difficult to ride on than this morning. Tomorrow is another day, but whatever happens, he’s a star.”

At the press conference attended by the top three riders, commentator John Kyle asked who each one expected to win tomorrow, and both Austin and Oliver pointed to Ros, who was second here last year with Lordships Graffalo, then a Badminton first timer.

“The horse was amazing; he’s the real deal and has been for a few years now,” said Austin O’Connor of Colorado Blue. “He had to try out there, but boy did he try. He’s never run in this ground, but he’s full of blood and class.

“I’ve got a great team at home and they’ve kept him very fit,” continued Austin.

“I’m also a lot older than I look and I’ve ridden a lot of cross-country courses in the wet before.”

Oliver’s day began inauspiciously when Swallow Springs, the first of the big guns to run and lying third, triggered a frangible pin at the Mars M Tables, adding 11 penalties. With the horse looking laboured, they were finally eliminated and pulled up by the ground jury at fence 24.

Turning his luck around at the end of the day with Ballaghmor Class, who finished second here in 2019, Oliver said: “I’m the luckiest rider in the world. I’m proud to be associated with him.

“I had to trust him a few times out there. A couple of times I wasn’t able to see a distance and every time he helped me out, including coming out of the Quarry, where we went on a big one. These good horses dig you out.

“We’ve been together since he was four and we know each other inside out,” added Oliver. “He’ll alway give me a nudge when I walk past his stable. I’m not allowed to walk past and ignore him.”

“I thought he might look at the ground as we went, but he kept his perspective up and galloped,” said New Zealand’s Tim Price of Vitali. “I had better energy than I expected on the way home; it was just the lack of speed that slowed you down. Hoofprints were 4-5in into the ground.

“My wife [fellow event rider Jonelle] said I looked slow — she’s taken to speaking her mind, which is annoying!

“When I got to the lake I took the long route because I’d ridden my luck a bit,” said Tim, adding: “I might go and have a sleep and a massage before my next one,” although the Kiwi ended up withdrawing Coup De Coeur Dudevin, who had been in ninth place.

The team gold and individual silver medallists from the Tokyo Olympics added 30.8 penalties to their score, and Tom said: “After watching the morning action I just wanted a nice round. I’ve messed up here too many times before with the best horse in the world.

“He tried really hard and was foot perfect jumping, but the ground is now horrific, seriously tacky and holding.”

“I am so relieved,” said Gemma after finishing her round with the Chilli Morning daughter, Jalapeno. “The horse tried her heart out and she’s now recovering really well.

“It’s been a few years since I’ve been here and I won’t lie, I was scared, so the relief is huge. It’s really tough out there, but she’s a chestnut mare and she’s feisty.”

“I never really dreamed that this horse would go around Badminton and I couldn’t be more proud,” said Ros Canter of 14-year-old Pencos Crown Jewel.

“The owl hole and the coffin fences felt a bit hairy, but she’s gritty. I didn’t know what I was doing at the lake, but we were going well so I decided to go straight.”

“He’s was amazing. It wasn’t quite as polished as at Burghley,” said 24-year-old Bubby Upton, referring to her trip around the autumn five-star with Cola last year, which led to a 14th place.

“There were a couple of moments he didn’t go on the stride I thought he would [today], but it was probably due to the deep ground. It’s so tough out there.”

Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope were held on course for a fence repair, but, as Pippa said: ““Because of the ground I wanted to get into a rhythm early on and not worry about the clock. You have to ride differently because of the [frangible] pins; you take one more pull than you would otherwise. It helped me when I was held coming up the avenue.

“He’s the best horse to sit on in this phase, and the worst horse to sit on in the dressage,” continued Pippa. “I have so much confidence in him — I can’t warm up; the first fence I jump is literally number one. I can’t go anywhere near the warm up fences.

“We’d talked about do I or don’t I go direct at the lake, but I did. I heard a clunk, but couldn’t look back until I’d jumped the corner, but it was still up.”

“He’s just class. It’s his third five-star and he gets better and better,” said 30-year-old Tom Jackson of Capels Hollow Drift. “It wasn’t his favourite going, but he dug so deep.

“I got the feedback to forget about the watch. I don’t normally talk to the horse going round, but I did get the voice out a bit to encourage him home. I’m unbelievably proud of him.”

Out of comfort zones

Due to wet conditions several changes were made to the cross-country course ahead of Sunday’s 11.30am start, including the removal of the B element at the Lemieux Mound (17) and the A element at the HorseQuest Quarry (27), plus the water level in the Lake (21) was lowered.

Nevertheless, some combinations proved to be out of their comfort zones, and there were six horse falls, including one for Kitty King and Vendredi Biats at fence 5, the Countryside Alliance Stick Pile. Up until then they had been lying second.

Laura Collett withdrew seventh-placed Dacapo; Harry Meade did the same with 10th placed Tanareze; and William Fox-Pitt (Graffennacht) slipped outside the dressage top 10 when accruing almost three dozen time faults.  

As Oliver Townend commented: “You could see some real old fashioned five-star horses who stuck their heads down and tried so hard for their riders. No rider can make a horse go round here who doesn’t want to.”

The competition concludes tomorrow with a final horse inspection and then the showjumping phase, and overnight leader Ros Canter has two fences in hand. Find out how to follow the action here.