IRISH Olympic dressage rider Austin O’Connor has shot up to second place after a dramatic cross-country day at the Badminton Horse Trials.

Riding the brilliant Irish-bred gelding Colorado Blue (Jaguar Mail x Rock King), bred by Kate Jarvey, the pair who finished eighth last year produced the fastest round of the day in tough underfoot conditions to come home clear with 10.8 time penalties.

That saw them move from 34th after dressage to the top of the leaderboard, a place they held until dressage leader Ros Canter (GB) and Lordships Graffalo added 11.6 time penalties to their dressage score to maintain the lead overnight.

Canter is on a score of 33.7, some nine points ahead of O’Connor (42.7) in second and Britain’s Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class moved up three places to third when clear with 21.2 time penalties.

“The horse was amazing, he’s the real deal,” said a delighted O’Connor afterwards. “He’s never been in this ground but he is full of blood and class; it’s the hardest he’s had to try round a five-star to date. I’ve got a great team at home and they’ve kept him very fit. He’s one of the best horses in the world and I’m a lot older than I look andd have ridden a lot of cross-country courses in the wet before.”

Former world champion Canter, who is aiming to win her first five-star, said of her horse: “Wasn’t he amazing, as always. He’s never had to dig that deep before; he’s always found life easy. A horse like him should be celebrated – I’ve not sat on anything like him before. The ground was more difficult to ride on than this morning. Tomorrow is another day, whatever happens he’s a star.”

Townend was equally are thrilled with the 16-year-old ISH Ballaghmor Class, commenting: “He’s unreal, very reliable. I trust him 100% and I think he trusts me 100%. You can’t make a horse do what he’s just done, I can’t tell you how proud of him, and the team, I am. He really helped me out coming out of the Quarry – those good horses dig you out. Life wouldn’t be half as much fun without him, he really is part of the family.

Torrential rain

Some 16 other combinations produced clears but all came home with huge time faults following a day with heavy underfoot conditions after the previous day’s torrential rain. Big names to exit the equation included Townend with his other mount, Swallow Springs, who, third overnight, was pulled up by the ground jury when appearing tired towards the end of the track.

Second after dressage, Kitty King and Vendredi Biats took a heavy fall on the landing side of fence five. Last year’s winner, Laura Collett, withdrew Decapo before the cross-country; the pair were seventh after dressage. Ireland’s Susie Berry retired Ringwood LB on course.

Full cross-country results.