REIGNING Olympic and European champion, Germany’s Michael Jung, in the lead after the first day of dressage, will today ride his London 2012 double gold medal-winning horse La Biosthetique Sam in the cross-country on his debut visit to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

Cross-country course designer Mark Phillips has set riders an intriguing test today as he has reversed the direction of his track.

“The course here is very different to the other four-stars, it looks tough with lots of ups and downs,” commented Michael Jung, whose past CCI**** successes include a win at Luhmühlen, second place at Badminton and third at Pau. “I will start out steadily and, hopefully, if my horses are giving me a good feeling, I will be able to go for the time. I’m very happy to be here, it’s a fantastic competition.”

The ground jury, Britain’s Nick Burton (president), New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie and Sweden’s Christina Klingspor, unanimously placed him out in front on his first ride, FischerRocana FST, with a dressage mark of 34.2 for a classy test in the sixth and final leg of the FEI Classics 2014/2015 series.

“She was very relaxed, easy to ride and gave me a good feeling,” said Jung of the 11-year-old mare on which he won Kentucky, the second leg of the series, in which Jung is lying second in the rankings behind his compatriot Ingrid Klimke.

Australia’s Andrew Hoy (56), who first won Burghley in 1979 before Jung was even born, also broke the 40-penalty barrier and is in second place with Rutherglen on a score of 37.8.

Another rider who will not remember Hoy’s first Burghley win is third-placed German rider Niklas Bschorer, who scored 39.2 in a well-ridden test on Tom Tom Go 3. At 20, he is the youngest in the field of 74 starters.

Australians Christopher Burton (Haruzac), Sam Griffiths on his 2014 Badminton winner Paulank Brockagh, bred by Ireland’s Frank and Paula Cullen, and Paul Tapner (Vanir Kamira), all of whom have yet to win at Burghley, occupy the next three places. Britain’s Pippa Funnell who triumphed at Burghley 12 years ago, is eighth on Redesigned.

Today Funnell, who has withdrawn Mirage d’Elle, rides Second Supreme, New Zealand’s Jonelle Price who has withdrawn The Deputy, rides Classic Moet, and Christopher Burton, Sam Griffiths and Paul Tapner all have their second horses.

There’s also six-time winner, Britain’s William Fox-Pitt on his only ride, Fernhill Pimms, plus five-time winner New Zealand’s Sir Mark Todd on Leonidas ll and Britain’s 2009 winner Oliver Townend on the top CCI**** horse Armada. Follow the action on www.burghley-horse.co.uk and www.burghley.tv