Mark Todd, winner of the Blarney Castle two-star international last year, made an encouraging start to the defence of his title yesterday when he rode the mare Dazzling Light into a 13-point lead after the first day of dressage.
The New Zealander, winner of Olympic gold at both Los Angeles and Seoul, had been one of numerous riders outspoken in their criticism of the sport's new scoring system. But the 43-year-old was rather more enthusiastic about it at the close of play yesterday.
"I think I do like the new scoring now," he said, after Varenna Allen's nine-year-old produced a test that earned top marks from all bar ground jury president Isobel Reid.
The mare is by Jennie Loriston-Clarke's stallion Catherston Dazzler, sire of Katie Parker's ride Midnight Dazzler, which moved into second place when scoring highest marks from Isobel Reid.
The British rider is 13 marks adrift of the leader, but Todd says that neither the mare nor his own stallion Aberjack, which does its dressage this morning, are particularly fast so the gap could close during tomorrow's cross-country.
Australia's Robert Slade (Fiddlers Bow), first into the arena yesterday, and still suffering the after-effects of a broken shoulder, shares third place with Italian Antonio Sanfelice (St Ivers), ahead of best of the Irish Jenny Pratt, who is hoping for a change in fortune after a chequered career with the 13-year-old Horseware Halcyon Days.
Britain's Tanya Liddle, who rode the giant Just Another Buck to third place at Punchestown, holds the overnight advantage in the one-star with the six-year-old Plenipotentiary, which makes its three-day debut at Blarney.
Denmark's Ulrik Molgaard is six points off the pace with Grumbla, ahead of Britain's John Paul Sheffield (Miss Piggy II), with Australia's Andrew Hoy fourth on the Coolmore horse Pride Of India.
Despite her surname, Caroline Bjoerk is originally from Straffan in Co Kildare and is flying the Irish flag on the Swedish-bred Mercury in joint-fifth with Joe Craig and Chancellor Max.
Placings after first day of dressage - 1, New Zealand's Dazzling Light (Mark Todd), 67 penalties; 2, Britain's Midnight Dazzler (Katie Parker), 80; equal 3, Australia's Fiddlers Bow (Robert Slade) and Italy's St Ivers (Antonio Sanfelice), 83; 5, Ireland's Horseware Hal- cyon Days (Jenny Pratt), 85; equal 6, Australia's Vendors Agent (Catherine Burrell) and Britain's Mr Smiffy (John Paul Sheffield), 87.
Blarney Castle One-Star: 1, Britain's Plenipotentiary (Tanya Liddle), 65 penalties; 2, Denmark's Grumbla (Ulrik Molgaard), 71; 3, Britain's Miss Piggy II (John Paul Sheffield), 72; Australia's Pride Of India (Andrew Hoy), 74; equal 5, Ireland's Mercury (Caroline Bjoerk) and Chancellor Max (Joe Craig), 75.
