Five-star winner takes pathfinder spot as Burghley draw released

Tim Price bookends the Defender Burghley Horse Trials draw for the event next month (5-8 September).

The New Zealand rider is the pathfinder on the 2022 Maryland 5 Star winner Coup De Coeur Dudevin and also sets off last on Vitali (number 83). The latter was the dressage leader, setting a new event record, last year so having him as the final horse to go will ensure suspense until the end of the first phase – and quite possibly cross-country day if he holds top spot after dressage again. Tim also has Viscount Viktor in the middle of the draw at number 33.

Harry Meade is the other rider likely to start on three horses; he will be the second into the dressage arena and also the penultimate competitor to start. He currently has five possible mounts in the mix – Cavalier Crystal, Superstition, Annaghmore Valoner, Et Hop Du Matz and Away Cruising – so will have to narrow this down to a trio of contenders.

Ros Canter is the favourite on Paris Olympic team gold medallist Lordships Graffalo and they will set off third last, as number 79. Ros is also number five – third to go, because of the way numbering works for Harry’s double-entered horses – on Izilot DHI. Ros’s Paris team-mate Tom McEwen is number 47 on double five-star runner-up CHF Cooliser.

Surrey-based French rider Gaspard Maksud is the first of the 25 debutants to compete, starting as number eight in the Burghley Horse Trials draw on Kan-Do 2. Aaron Miller (number 10) is the first British debutant to take on the challenge.

Caroline Powell wears number 51 on Badminton Horse Trials winner Greenacres Special Cavalier, and the runners-up from the British spring five-star, Ireland’s Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint sport number 21.

Full draw

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