Shropshire eventing star Oliver Townend has won his race against time to defy the travel crisis and reach America.

And it means the Ellesmere ace is on course to compete for a £230,000 jackpot at the Rolex Grand Slam, which gets under way in Kentucky on Thursday.

Townend’s preparations before the biggest event of his career so far were thrown into turmoil by the volcanic ash cloud which has grounded planes across the UK and beyond.

But after a marathon two days of travelling – which have included a £1,600 16-hour-taxi journey from Paris to Madrid – Townend has now touched down on American soil.

“Oliver landed in Miami at 7pm American time last night,” said his secretary Nicole Woodward.

“He was going to have a welcome night’s sleep in his hotel last night.

“He then has two planes to catch today to go from Miami to Atlanta and then Atlanta to Lexington where the event is being held.
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“It would be a fantastic achievement to even get there, let alone achieve anything in the event.”

Townend travelled from his home in Dudleston Heath, near Ellesmere, to Crewe early on Sunday morning where he caught a train to London.

He then made his way to Paris via Eurostar before the epic taxi journey from the French capital to Madrid where he was able to fly to Miami.

Townend has been joined by British eventing team-mate William Fox-Pitt who staged a late u-turn and elected to make the journey after initially cancelling his plans.

It is a huge week for Townend who will win £230,000 should he follow up his previous victories at Badminton and Burghley with a remarkable against-the-odds triumph on either Ashdale Cruise Master or ODT Master Rose in Kentucky.