Oliver Townend enjoyed two top-ten placings on the final day of the Badminton Horse Trials after his victory at Kentucky last week.
Townend, who won this event in 2009, was pipped to the top spot by Jonelle Price who, riding Classic Moet, finished the cross country with only 0.4 penalties, resulting in an overall total of 28.0.
Townend came a close second on Cooley SRS - the pair only had 7.2 penalties and 33.1 overall - while he also rode Ballaghmor Class to fifth place with the same tally, ending with 36.0.
“If you’d have told me I’d have two horses in the top five at the end of this week, I’d be very, very happy,” said Townend.
“I’ve had to fight harder than I’ve fought before and it didn’t always look like I wanted it to look but both horses have come out of it feeling very good.”
Close behind in third came Rosalind Canter on Allstar B, who managed 34.3 overall, while reigning national champion Gemma Tattersall rode Arctic Soul to fourth, finishing with 35.2 penalties in her fifth consecutive visit to Badminton.
The top four riders had entered the afternoon session with less than one rail separating them after Dani Evans dominated the morning’s show jumping, making the finale all the more exciting.
Rising star Imogen Murray, a GBR Nations Cup team event rider making her second Badminton appearance, finished on a respectable 46.1 penalties, with Ivar Gooden finishing in 11th place.
Meanwhile, Harry Meade came 16th on Away Cruising, continuing his legacy of success at the event where he has finished in the top 20 four times in nine competitions. Sportsbeat 2018