BRITAIN’s Oliver Townend set a new dressage record at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials on Thursday afternoon aboard the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse Cillnabradden Evo to lead the field going into today’s cross-country phase at the South Gloucestershire venue. He lies in second place with Ballaghmor Class (ISH), becoming the first rider in history to occupy the top two places after dressage.
Fresh from winning the CCI5* at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day-Event with Cooley Master Class (ISH) (see pages 105 and 110), Townend and Cillnabradden Evo produced the first ever sub 20 dressage score at Badminton when posting a score of 19.7. Australian Andrew Hoy had previously held the record of 20.5 for 19 years.
Bred by Orla and Tom Holden in Co Meath, the gelding is by the KWPN sire Creevagh Ferro Ex Siebe out of Willow Garden, who is by King Henry (ID). Under Townend, Cillnabradden Evo has won three times at four-star level, including on their last start at Burnham Market in April.
“He was 100% as he can be. I went to bed thinking (a score of) 19 last night. It took a lot of hard work to get there but he’s got there, and let’s just hope I can keep him on his feet in the next bit and he jumps clear and then we will be very very happy,” Townend said after the test, adding: “The ground (across the country) suits, I don’t want much more rain. It’s a long track, I am just here to look after him.”
The former world number one then came out on Friday afternoon and for a moment looked like he was going to break his own record when producing a fantastic test with the 12-year-old Courage II gelding Ballaghmor Class, bred in Co Limerick by Noel Hickey. A final score of 21.1 sees him occupy first and second place.
Britain’s Tom McEwen lies third with Toledo De Kerser (24.7), ahead of the Irish Sport Horse Vanir Kamira (by Camiro de Haar Z, bred by Kathryn Jackson) under Piggy French (26.0). The other two Irish Sport Horses in the top 10 are Graf Liberty (Christopher Burton) and Swallow Springs (Andrew Nicholson).
MR CHUNKY
Ireland’s biggest hopes lie on the shoulders of individual world silver medallist Padraig McCarthy and the 14-year-old Mr Chunky, who scored 31.2 on Thursday and lie in 22nd place overnight. The combination finished eighth last year.
On their fifth visit to Badminton, Clare Abbott and Cormac McKay’s 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Euro Prince (by Lougheries Quiet Man) scored 31.4 in the first phase to lie in equal 24th going into cross-country.
The combination will be hoping to put last year’s fall near the end of the track to bed today. Michael Ryan and Dunlough Striker (ISH) are next best of the Irish in 52nd on 36.7, while Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello (ISH) are in 58th on 38.4. Ciaran Glynn and November Night (ISH)(TIH) scored 39.7 and lie in equal 66th, while Jim Newsam is in 74th with Magennis (ISH) following a score of 41.1.
Speaking this week about the course, Irish team manager Sally Corscadden said: “Eric Winter, designer of the cross country course, describes this year’s track as being ‘different to what we’ve previously seen’ and different it certainly is.
“It’s an innovative track and is sure to test the athlete’s cross-country riding and I am very much looking forward to seeing how our Irish athletes will answer the questions being asked of them.”
Today’s cross-country event begins at 11.30am and will be broadcast live via the red button and BBC sport website, and on the Badminton website. The final show jumping session begins at 2pm on Sunday.