Winners of the CCI** 12 months ago, the British pair held a commanding lead after dressage, to which they added clear rounds in both the jumping phases.

Completing on just 33.6, Townend remarked: “He’s a very, very, good horse and his marks are the proof of it. He’s still relatively inexperienced, but he’s pure, pure class in all three phases.”

Pleasing his rider further, the nine-year-old Cooley Master Class is by Ramiro B, a former Irish-based stallion who now stands in England with Townend and his business partner Nina Barbour.

“There were three by the sire in the three-star,” the rider continued. “So it’s proof that we’re breeding from the right article. Like many of my horses, this one came from Richard Sheane as a four-year-old.” Townend also piloted the older Black Tie into second place at the dressage stage, but withdrew him after a disappointing round over the coloured poles.

Some eight marks in arrears, British squad member Izzy Taylor moved into second spot with Suzie Holroyd’s Allercombe Ellie. Having only recently taken over the ride from Aaron Miller, Taylor has not been out of the top two in three runs. The Oxfordshire-based rider was initially encouraged to find herself in fourth spot after dressage, after which she produced one of 12 clear show jumping rounds.

“It’s all a bit new for us, but she did a nice test, she is a very good jumper and gave me a very good feel across country.” She said, “We have only done a couple of OI classes together before coming here, but she is so adjustable and very rideable.”

A regular to the venue, Taylor went on to sing the praises of Andrew Fell’s flowing courses.

“They reward positive riding, and if the horses go well it gives them a real feel good factor,” she said.

Adding just 0.4 to her opening mark, Taylor completed on 41.5, just ahead of Ballindenisk debutantes Geoffroy Soullez and Madrian Du Liot (43.0). The former European squad member (2009) relished the experience, saying: “This is a really good work out for the horses. It’s lovely that they can gallop here over this very good ground.”

Compatriot Pascal Leroy (Minos de Petra), who completed on his dressage mark (43.2) to fill fourth agreed.

Balance

“There is a good balance of fences and no arrow heads, which is not a problem,” he remarked.

Moving in sixth spot, Sarah Ennis was delighted with Sugar Brown Babe, specifically the fact that she came home within the time. Always game, the mare has historically struggled with the pace and Ennis credits trainer Aidan O’Brien for her improvement in this quarter.

“We ran out of steam again in Aachen last year, so we decided to ask Aidan for some advice,” explained Ennis. “He was so helpful. He took all the details and came back to us with a completely new regime. In Malmo she felt different. She is still a little slow, but her stamina was amazing and she finished with fuel in the tank.”

Aside from Sam Watson’s departure, the course caused surprisingly few upsets among the 32 runners. Having produced two sparkling jumping performances, Ciaran Glynn (Killossery Jupiter Rising) will have been kicking himself for going the wrong side of a flag at the final water (20), while Michael Ryan and Ballylynch Skyport clocked up 20 penalties at the final skinny at the same fence. The only other to err was American rider Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp (Fernhill By Night), who added the same at the tables at four.

Notable among the other Irish runners, was Jim Newsam, who produced two foot-perfect jumping rounds with Magennis (11th) and Joseph Murphy, who did the same with Electric Cruise (ninth) and Westwinds Hercules (18th).