WORLD silver medallists Padraig McCarthy and Mr Chunky spearhead a list of six Irish entries for the 2019 Badminton Horse Trials, which takes place May 1st to 5th.

McCarthy finished best of the Irish in eighth place last season. Joseph Murphy placed 13th in 2018 with Sportsfield Othello and they will take another crack at the famous title, as will Ciaran Glynn and November Night, 25th last year.

Clare Abbott returns with Euro Prince, and will hope to improve on last year’s performance when a fall across the country ended their campaign, and Jim Newsam is entered with Magennis, having last ridden at the venue in 2017.

Sian Coleman will make her Badminton debut with Kilroe Hero and it will mark her first international under the Irish flag. Coleman (née Hawkes) rode at Pau CCI4* (now 5*) for her native Britain last year and finished 21st.

Defending champion Jonelle Price from New Zealand and three of the four British team gold medal winners from the 2018 World Equestrian Games are among the star studded line-up, as well as world number one Oliver Townend who will have to choose two from his four initial entries, which include 2018 runner-up Cooley SRS (ISH) and fifth-placed Ballaghmor Class (ISH).

There are seven previous winners in the field bidding for another shot at glory: New Zealand’s Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson and Price; Australia’s Sam Griffiths; Britain’s Pippa Funnell, William Fox-Pitt and Townend. WEG Bronze medallist Ingrid Klimke, who finished second in 2006 and 2015, has entered the brilliant Hale Bob.

One obvious gap in the entries list is world champion Ros Canter, third in 2018, who is expecting her first child this summer.

There were 114 entries in total for this year’s event, resulting in 24 combinations, including Ireland’s Michael Ryan and Dunlough Striker, being placed on the waiting list after allowing for those riders with more than two horses.

The waiting list is determined by points won in top-level international events over the past two years. They will replace pairs who withdraw up until 2pm on the Sunday before the event.