EQUESTRIAN SPORT/Badminton three-day event: The battle for supremacy between Britain and Australia continued unabated at Badminton yesterday, but it was an New Zealander who climbed to the top of the tree at the close of play last night with Andrew Nicholson putting in a bid for the Mitsubishi Motors trophy.
The Australians - headed by 27-year-old Megan Jones - had occupied the top three slots after the first day of dressage on Thursday and, by the coffee break yesterday, had claimed fourth with Sammi McLeod.
The hosts fought back when Polly Stockton moved into a temporary share of second, but there was plenty more reshuffling to be done after lunch.
Andrew Hoy, triple Olympic team gold medallist, consolidated the Australian challenge when a mark of 41.0 boosted him ahead of the posse with Mr Pracatan but, less than 30 minutes later, the home side fought back and 21-year-old Matthew Wright, the youngest competitor in the 80-strong field, joined Hoy at the head of affairs.
That left five Australians in the top seven, one fewer than the 1992 Olympic champion Matt Ryan had predicted, but still the overall order wasn't settled, with five left waiting in the wings.
Britain's Pippa Funnell, winner for the past two years, shaved off 0.2 of a penalty to take the lead with Cornerman, and was joined in pole position shortly afterwards by fellow countryman William Fox-Pitt with the Irish-owned Tamarillo.
With a brace of British at the forefront, that seemed to be the end of Antipodean hopes, but last man out Nicholson, ignoring the torrential rain and mud, produced the winning test with the 13-year-old Lord Killinghurst for a 4.2 penalty advantage going into today's cross country.
Co Down-based Becky George retained her best of the Irish mantle, winding up mid-field in 43rd with Wee Hot Toddy.
Making her debut at this level, 35-year-old George is keen to get on with today's cross country test, the severity of which will have been increased by two days of almost non-stop rain.
Sherelle Duke, a member of the Irish team that finished fifth at last year's European championships in Punchestown to guarantee a place on the Athens startlist, rode a supremely tactful test on LA Temple Bar to finish with a share of 44th.
Fellow Northerner Eric Smiley was less pleased with his mark of 65.4, which leaves him in 63rd, five slots ahead of Virginia McGrath and her veteran, The Yellow Earl.
