Cross country day at Burghley rarely disappoints and today was no exception. Sunny and breezy, perfect ground and a much anticipated track that ran this way round for the first time since 2017.
It had been tipped by the riders that it would be more of an endurance test this way and it certainly seemed to ride like that. Quite incredibly Harry Meade was sitting 1st and 2nd for much of the day with the first two of his three rides and it wasn’t until Tim set off that this changed.
Vitali was incredible and Tim paid homage to him in his post cross country interview. Tim set off fast and shaved every inch he could off the track with tight lines and straight routes all the way but even for such an experienced combination there were a couple of ‘moments’ like coming out of the Lower Trout Hatchery when Tim wasn’t on the perfect line to the first of the wedge arrowhead brushes but Vitali bust a gut to fling his body through the flags. He was also a bit off the step out of the first water which made the bounce to the shoulder brush a challenge but Vitali is an extraordinary cross country horse and he and Tim have such a solid partnership. Everything else was a masterclass and the only crack in his armour is that he isn’t a thoroughbred so some time on a day when just one horse made it was always going to be a niggle. He galloped gamely home to cross the line 22 seconds over which added 8.8 time to his 23.1 dressage score which was good enough to go into the lead at that point and Tim paid tribute to his ‘honesty and heart’ which was respectful and good to see Tim smiling at the end of the round.
Some big hitters near the end of the class though and Ros Canter and the wonder horse Lordships Graffalo finished 8 seconds inside the time to take the lead on 22.4. Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue were 2 seconds over for second on 28.6, and Vitali sits in 3rd on 31.9. Hats off to Harry Meade who fell off his E bike at pony club camp in the summer, fracturing his ribs and puncturing his lung, who fought his way back to fitness and has three in the top 6 going into showjumping in 4th, 5th and 6th.
It was a day of shocks and surprises which is very Burghley-Esque. Ollie Townend and Cooley Rosalent picked up a 20 at a corner at the Maltings and you have to wonder whether she remembered her fall there last year. Jesse Campbell and Cooley Lafitte (Henry) misread the step to the shoulder brush bounce at fence 7 for a 20 and a swift retirement, Sam Lissington went well on Billy Alberto but pulled up Lord Seekonig lame on course, Lauren Innes and Global Fission M had some lives but wind up in 15th and Caroline Powell and High Time had a great spin for 11th. 4 Kiwis inside the top 15 at a tough Burghley is a good day for sure.
