MICHAEL Jung (GER) andFischerRocanaFST werebreathtaking to watch across country atthe Rolex Kentucky three-day event, third leg of theFEI Classics 2015/2016, and now hold a commanding lead.

The seemingly unstoppable Olympic and European champion hasthree jumping fences in hand over Phillip Dutton (USA), who is in second and third places on Fernhill Fugitive and Mighty Nice.

The world number one gave a masterclass in brave, accurate riding in difficult conditions, as pouring rain and wind made Derek diGrazia’scourse a true test of horsemanship.

Jung took the most economic lines and encouraged his gallant mare all the way, finishing the course with a flourish and the most enormousflyingleap over the last fence. He was onlytwo seconds over the optimum time of 11 minutes 15 seconds, which was the fastest time of the day.

“When I say ‘Come on, we can do this’, she trusts me completely. She’s an absolutely great mare,” a visibly thrilled Jung saidtouchingly. “When you finish a four-star course with a horse that has trusted you like that, it’s a great feeling.”

Jung aside, the leaderboard changed considerably and time proved influential on a track that contained not only big island fences but combinations on continually turning lines and ground thatturned from slippery to stickyas the rain pouredrelentlesslydown.

The masterfulDutton, who was first out on course, now has three horses inside the top 10, as FernhillCubalawnhas risen from 19th to 10th.

Maya Black (USA)put up a great performanceon thepony-likeDoesn’t Play Fair and has risen from 12thto fourth with one of the fastest rounds of the day. Boyd Martin (USA) is fifth onShamwari4 and 10th onBlackfootMystery, an inexperienced American Thoroughbred and bred just down the road from Kentucky.

LaurenKeiffer(USA) is in sixth and seventh on Veronica, her 2014 runner-up, and Jaqueline Mars’ home-bred grey gelding Landmark’s Monte Carlo.Buck Davidson (USA)rode a brilliantly determined round on Petite Flower, a horse bred by his father, Bruce, and is in eighth place.

American riders dominate the top of the leaderboard afterSirMark Todd (NZL) dropped six places to 12thon NZBCampinowith 13.2 time penalties.

His compatriot Jock Paget is 15thafter a good round on Clifton Signature,while Blyth Tait on Xanthus III had a run-out at 14a, and, disappointingly, Tim Price tipped off Bango at the final combination.

Mention should be made of DanielaMoguel, the first Mexican rider ever to compete at Kentucky; shefinished clearon Ceceliawith 14.8 time penalties to liea creditable 24th ofthe 56 finishers.

“I feel amazing!” she said afterwards. “I can’t describe it. My mare was unbelievable. She said: ‘Hold on, I got it!’”

Allison Springer, the runner-up after dressage on long-time partner Arthur, endured anerve-rackinglong wait for her round. She set offat the end of the dayamid great expectations, but anychance of her pressing Jungin tomorrow’s finale evaporated with a run-out at the flowerbed in the coffin at fence 24c.

MarilynLittle, third after dressage, also had a bitter disappointment. Somehow,she arrived 53 seconds late into the start box, butthis problem becameirrelevant when sheparted company fromRF Demeteron landingoverthe table fenceat22.

Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp decided to withdrawFernhillByNight, third after dressage, because the horse had sustained a minor injury that had required stitches just a few days before the start of the competition.

Boyd Martinsummed up a challenging, but exciting day: "This is the pinnacle of the sport and it’s not meant to be easy - but I wouldn’t to do it every weekend!”

All tomorrow’s Jumpingaction will be on FEI TV (www.feitv.org)withlive results onhttp://rk3de.org/results

Results afterCross Country

1 Michael Jung/FischerRocanaFST (GER) 34.4 + 0.8 = 35.2

2Phillip Dutton/Fernhill Fugitive (USA) 43.1 + 4.4 = 47.5

3 Phillip Dutton/Mighty Nice (USA) 45.0 + 4.8 = 49.8

4Maya Black/Doesn’t Play Fair (USA) 45.5 + 4.4 = 49.9

5Boyd Martin/Shamwari4 (USA) 44.6 + 5.6 = 50.2

6 LaurenKieffer/Veronica (USA) 43.9+ 7.6 = 51.5

7 LaurenKieffer/Landmark’s Monte Carlo (USA) 50.0 + 2.8 = 52.8

8 Buck Davidson/Petite Flower (USA) 46.7 + 7.2 = 53.9

9 Phillip Dutton/FernhillCubalawn(USA) 48.2 + 7.2 + 55.4

10 Boyd Martin/Blackfoot Mystery (USA) 52.0 + 3.6 = 55.6