Even if Olympic three-day event champion Blyth Tait had carried out his threat to withdraw his number one horse, Chesterfield, from the Pedigree Chum field at Burghley after voicing objections to his dressage marks, he still would have won with stablemate, Aspyring. But, by leaving the 12-year-old in the competition, the New Zealander netted £26,000 in prizemoney by riding Chesterfield into the winner's enclosure with clears across country and in the show-jumping arena, with Asprying second. Tait's first Burghley win crowns a spectacularly golden patch for the former world champion, following victories in the British and Scottish open championships and a win at Scarvagh House in Co Down that clinched the international one-day event series eight days ago.
But the latest triumph was hard-fought in a war of attrition on a rain-sodden cross-country day that saw just 24 of the original 63 runners recording finishing scores.
And Chesterfield's number one draw that had caused Tait so much angst with the dressage markings proved to be more than advantageous as the cross-country footing deteriorated throughout the day.
Even Tait's genius couldn't get Chesterfield round inside the optimum time and he was slower again with his second horse, Aspyring. But with just 14 avoiding jumping penalties and everyone losing the battle against the clock, Tait's pair were left out in front at the close on Saturday.
A sensational clear from Cork jockey Austin O'Connor and Simply Rhett on their four-star debut - despite the handicap of the mare losing a shoe at the fourth fence - boosted the sole Irish combination up to overnight 16th. Unfortunately Eugene McKenna's 12-year-old had left much of her jump in Saturday's mud and lowered seven fences yesterday afternoon to drop to 19th. But a top-20 finish in such horrendous conditions was a commendable achievement for the 23-year-old Cornish-based rider.
The exertions of cross-country took their toll in yesterday's showjumping arena - just four horses kept their overnight scores intact. Aspyring hit the third fence, but when Silence (Daniel Jocelyn) kicked out four and Bally Free (Jancis Tulloch) knocked three, Tait knew he had victory in the bag.
With a three-fence cushion, Chesterfield decided he wasn't about to play second fiddle to Aspyring and a superb clear meant a Tait one-two, with compatriot Andrew Nicholson following him home in third on Hinnegar.
The New Zealanders look in great shape for the World Equestrian Games in three weeks.
Burghley three-day event (final placings) - 1, New Zealand's Chesterfield (Blyth Tait), 67.8 penalties; 2, New Zealand's Aspyring (Blyth Tait), 82.0; 3, New Zealand's Hinnegar (Andrew Nicholson), 92.0; 4, Britain's Bally Free (Jancis Tulloch), 95.8; 5, New Zealand's Silence (Daniel Jocelyn), 101.6; 6, Britain's Cornish Envoy (Katie Parker), 103.0; 19, Ireland's Simply Rhett (Austin O'Connor), 163.2.
