REIGNING MARS Badminton champions Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo laid down a commanding lead in their bid to become the first combination to win the five-star event three times. Their score of 23.7 leaves them over four penalties ahead of Thursday’s leaders Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl, who scored a personal best of 28.1 to lie second ahead of the cross-country phase. Previous five-star winners Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Felix Vogg like in third and fourth positions, with Hooney D’Arville and Cartania respectively, while the 2024 champions Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier lie sixth on 28.9.

Best of the Irish riders is Georgie Goss, who lies in equal 15th position with America’s Grace Taylor. She scored 30.8 with the sixteen-year-old mare Feloupe, after a mistake in one flying change. “If I’m honest, I’m a little bit disappointed,” said Goss after her test, “but they’ve not been giving the marks away and I did miss that change. Swings and roundabouts! Overall, she’s very consistent on the flat. Everything you put into her, you get out of her. I always try to get into the arena early so I can get the applause from the horse before to just lift her a little bit more, but she’s so consistent and a joy to ride.”