BRITAIN's Oliver Townend goes into Sunday's final phase show jumping at at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials with a fence in hand tomorrow with the 12-year-old Irish-bred Ballaghmor Class who moved into the lead (21.5) after today's cross-country.

If he wins, it will be Townend's second five-star victory, partnered by an Irish-bred horse, in the last two weeks following his win at Land Rover Kentucky with Cooley Master Class (ISH), bred by Wicklow's John Hagan and a graduate of the Georgina and Richard Sheane's world class operation Cooley Farm.

At Badminton, Townend is chased by Britain's Piggy French riding the Irish-bred mare Vanir Kamira (26.8), whom she described afterwards as "game and gutsy'' with Australia's Chris Burton and the Irish-bred Graf Liberty in third (27.7).

Townend's 2017 Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class (ISH) is by Courage II (HOLST) out of Kilderry Place (ISH) and was bred by Limerick's Noel Hickey. The horse is owned by Angela Hislop, Val Ryan and Karyn Shuter.

Speaking after cross-country at Badminton today, a delighted Oliver Townend said: "That's him at his best so far. He had an awful preparation for this event last year. We really wanted to prove what a good horse he is, how world class he is. For me, it could not have gone better. That was his best round to date."

In fourth at Badminton is Andrew Nicholson and the Irish-bred Swallow Springs (ISH) (by Chillout) (27.8) with Chris Burton in fifth with the Irish-bred Cooley Lands (ISH) (Cavalier Land-Clover Light Girl by Clover Hill) (28.1) followed by New Zealand's Tim Price and the Irish-bred Ringwood Sky Boy (ISH) (by Courage II) in sixth (30.1)

Townend is in seventh with the Irish-bred Cillnabradden Evo (32.1) while Virgina Thompson and Star Noveau lie in eighth place (38.3). Bill Levett and Lassban Diamond Lift (39.9) are ninth while rounding out the top 10 is Britain's Kristina Cook and Billy The Red (40.5).

The final horse inspection is at 8.30am tomorrow while the show jumping starts at 11am with the higher placed riders due into the ring around 2pm.

IRISH RIDERS

Best of the Irish is Clare Abbott and Euro Prince in 13th place (42.2) while Padraig McCarthy and Mr Chunky are on 45.4 for 19th place. Killossery Lodge's Ciaran Glynn and November Night are in 20th on 45.7.

Cork's Michael Ryan and Dunlough Striker are on 50.3 for 26th place while Jim Newsam and Magennis are 43rd on 64.3. Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello retired on the cross-country, one of 15 combinations to retire on the testing track.

There were four British combinations eliminations on the cross-country today - Emily King (Dargun), Kitty King (Vendredi Biats), Becky Woolven (Charlton Down Riverdance) and Katie Preston (Templar Justice).

EARLY LEAD

Burton took an early lead cross-country with the 14-year-old gelding Graf Liberty (ISH), by Limmerick (HOLST) out of Lisheen Star (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST)), bred by Co Down's Brian Livingstone.

“He makes my job very easy,” said Christopher speaking earlier today. “The bank to the arrowhead [the Outlander PHEV Bank] felt very messy, but it probably looked better than it felt. I was holding him the whole way round and he made the time feel surprisingly easy.”

Dressage leaders Oliver Townend and the Irish-bred Cillnabradden Evo were clear, but finished 31 seconds over the optimum time.

“He got the trip – a lot of people didn’t believe he would,” quipped Oliver, who nursed the gelding home masterfully from Huntsman’s Close.

Pathfinder Pippa Funnell enjoyed an almost foot-perfect round on Majas Hope. An extra circle before the final element of the Mirage Water (fence 18) wasted time, but they came home clear with 18.4 time penalties.

“I was annoyed with myself about that, but there was no way I was going to get there [the final corner] after he jumped awkwardly over the ditch,” said Pippa.This fence is the one causing the majority of head-scratching in the early stages.

“It’s an old-fashioned ditch and most of the horses will have never seen anything like it before,” surmised Izzy Taylor, who jumped clear on Call Me Maggie May.

GREAT SPIN

William Fox-Pitt enjoyed a great spin round on the first of his two rides, Little Fire. The pair finished 29 seconds over the optimum and currently sit on a score of 40.8.

“I’m dead chuffed with him,” said William. To ride a horse like him around here is a luxury. I had a bit of pressure from my children beforehand, who were saying, ‘Get on with it, Dad!’, so I was glad I was sitting on him.”

Tina Cook and Tim Price retired their first rides, Star Witness and Bango respectively, after run-outs, while Emily King suffered a fall at the KBIS Bridge (fence 11/12).