Record-breaking day for Oliver Townend at Badminton Horse Trials

Townend’s dressage score of 19.7 penalties on Badminton debutant Cillnabradden Evo rewrote the competition’s history in its 70th year.

Townend’s display eclipsed the previous Badminton dressage best that was set by Australian Andrew Hoy 19 years ago, giving him a dream start in pursuit of a £100,000 top prize.

Fresh from winning the Land Rover Kentucky title for a second successive year last weekend, world No.3 from Ellesmere continued his imperious form to lead the field by five penalties from Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser.

McEwen’s fellow Great Britain team gold medallist from the 2018 World Equestrian Games, Piggy French, lies third overnight aboard Vanir Kamira, with Kitty King and Vendredi Biats fourth, just in front of 26-year-old Somerset rider Millie Dumas, with Aristiek.

Currently the highest non-placed British rider is Australian Chris Burton, who holds sixth spot on Graf Liberty. Only one home-based rider, William Fox-Pitt, has triumphed at Badminton in the last 10 years.

Townend is back in action today with the strongly-fancied Ballaghmor Class. They finished fifth at Badminton last year and were 2017 Burghley champions. If he is crowned Badminton winner for a second time in his career on Sunday, it would also put him on course for eventing’s Rolex Grand Slam later this year.

It carries a £270,000 jackpot for any rider that lands consecutive Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley crowns.

The Grand Slam’s degree of difficulty is so acute, though, it has only been achieved on two previous occasions by Britain’s Pippa Funnell and Germany’s double Olympic champion Michael Jung.

“I know the horse inside out, and he was 100 per cent,” Townend said. “I knew he was capable of a test like that and it felt good.

“I went to bed on Wednesday night thinking 19 (as a possible score).

“It has taken a lot of hard work, but he has got there, and let’s just hope I can keep him on his feet in the next bit (cross-country), he jumps clear, and then we will be very, very happy.

“The ground will suit him, I am here to look after him.”