DAVID O'CONNORS nearly made history at Badminton yesterday afternoon, temporarily slotting his two Irish bred horses into first and second after his dressage test with Lightfoot.
But double Olympic champion Mark Todd was the first to spoil the story when riding Bertie Blunt into second and then the 1991 European champion Ian Stark scoring the first perfect 10 at the venue, squeezed Stanwick Ghost into the narrow gap between the American and New Zealand runners, a mere 0.2 of a penalty adrift of O'Connor and Custom Made.
The Scottish rider, who won double European gold at Punchestown five years ago with Glenburnie, was teamed up with another grey yesterday, the 10 year old Stanwick Ghost. But in spite of the 10 for his final canter strike off, Stark threw away the lead by asking for too much in the first medium trot circle and the horse broke to lose valuable marks.
Mark Todd and Bertie Blunt have had a chequered career. The popular New Zealander performed a brilliant feat at Badminton 12 months ago, riding two thirds of the cross country without stirrups after his leather broke early on the course. The pair went into overnight fifth, but the horse failed the final horse inspection next morning and, although muscle damage in his back was suspected, a week later an abscess in a back foot burst.
Todd then lost the ride on the talented chestnut due to sponsorship problems, but the combination were reunited in mid March and the Los Angeles and Seoul Olympic champion reports that the horse's owners have bought brand new stirrup leathers for today's cross country.
David O'Connor maintained the lead established on Thursday morning with his 1995 Lexington winner Custom Made, but his advantage has been trimmed down to the bare minimum and less than six points now cover the top 10 horses. He is also in fourth with the big grey Lightfoot, which is said to be by Sky Boy. The horse was hit by an ambulance on the Boekelo cross country in Holland last October but has recovered splendidly.
Alfie Buller and Sir Knight, the only Irish runners following Austin O'Connor's removal from the competition when Hang On failed the first horse inspection on Wednesday, are lying in 54th overnight after their best ever dressage test for a mark of 64.6, which leaves them just over 24 marks adrift of the leaders. A good performance here would clinch an Olympic berth for the 38 year old Co Down rider.
