Riding Persimmon, the horse on whom she won the CCI** at the venue last year, King earned a score of 40.4, less than a mark ahead of compatriot Izzy Taylor aboard Allercombe Ellie (41.0).

Former Badminton winning rider Paul Tapner and Indian Mill head the Australian challenge in third place on 42.2, while as the best of the seven Irish runners, Sarah Ennis fills a competitive seventh spot with her Chatsworth victor Stellor Rebound.

Having walked Ian Stark’s impressive cross-country track, King told The Irish Field: “I am really looking forward to tackling it. There is plenty to jump out there and also plenty of places to have a silly problem. Overall the track is big and bold, and although the ground walked good, it could be testing enough and that may play an influential role in getting the time and how well the horses finish.”

Although he was just out of the top ten in the feature class, William Fox-Pitt bounced back to lead a strong field of dressage in the Eventing Ireland CCI**. Riding Henton For Fun, the world number one carries an overnight score of 33.5, marginally ahead of Brook Staples and Piggy French, who share second spot aboard the Irish breds Doonaveragh O Six and Piggy Seapatrick Dark Cruise (34.3). Some 12 marks adrift, Sam Watson and Imperial Sky are the best of the home squad in 11th place.

In the Connolly’s Red Mills CCI** U25 division, British rider Tom McEwan heads the pack with Rehy USA (42.6), while Jennifer Diamond and Early Spring (51.3) are well placed in sixth spot for Ireland

While several of Ireland’s World Equestrian Games hopefuls have opted to run in the shorter format George Mernagh Memorial CIC***, the interim honours have fallen to former British young rider Millie Dumas riding Artistiek.

Carrying a score of 38.0, Dumas leads Kiwi rider Tim Price and Wesko (39.2) as well as Oliver Townend with Pepper Anne on 42.2. Clustering well in equal seventh and tenth, the Irish contingent is spearheaded by Austin O’Connor (Kilpatrick Knight) and Sam Watson (Horseware Bushman).

For those riders in the Landrover CCI* and its incorporated under age classes, the action began in earnest on Wednesday. For the first time in the history of the event, all starters ran across the country yesterday, and are due to complete their competition with the show jumping phase today.

As expected, Ian Stark’s track proved testing for all sectors but was not a problem for the CCI* dressage leaders William Fox-Pitt and Top Biats. Retaining their pole position, they go into today’s phase ahead of Oliver Townend (Colonel Joe) and Ireland’s Ian Cassells, who had a great spin to fill sixth on Carrick Jewel.

In the Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa pony sector, several favourites fell by the wayside. In the end, Irish rider Fionn Clarke (Black Velvet Band) claimed the top spot overnight with Black Velvet Band, while in the Tredstep Ireland CCIJ* the Dutch combination of Janou Bleekman and Granntevka Prince sparkled to score 36.3 from Charlotte East with King Albert.

Cross-country action is set to kick off today with the Connolly’s Red Mills CCI** Under-25 class at 9.30am, followed by the CCI**. The Irish Field CCI*** is next on the agenda, starting at 2.30pm.