The margin between Andrew Nicholson and William Fox-Pitt, both vying for equestrian's grand slam at this weekend's Badminton, could hardly be closer but they both sit behind early leader Michael Jung of Germany.
Nicholson and Nereo are in sixth after the dressage, 0.2 penalty points behind Fox-Pitt and less than four points behind Jung, the world, European and Olympic champion who is contesting Badminton for the first time.
Nicholson and Fox-Pitt are both trying to become just the second person behind Pippa Funnell in 2003 to win the grand slam - Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky - and pick up a US$350,000 bonus. For Nicholson, however, his main aim is to win Badminton for the first time in more than 30 years and the grand slam would be a bonus.
Jonathan Paget is the best-placed of the Kiwis in fourth on Clifton Promise, the same horse he rode to help New Zealand collect team bronze at the London Olympics. The combination also finished seventh at the 2010 World Equestrian Championships and second at the 2012 four-star Pau in France.
In his first Badminton outing, Paget and Promise are just 3.7 penalty points behind leader Jung aboard La Biosthetique Sam FBW. It's not his best ever score, but it puts him less than a showjumping rail apart from Jung.
"Certainly that first half of his dressage test was the best he has ever done," said Paget, who spent a month training with Jung. "Promise got a little excited going into the second half but did well . . . very well."
After getting disappointing marks with his second mount Clifton Lush yesterday, Paget was determined to come out firing from the start.
"I thought Lush was perfect yesterday and didn't put a step out of place but [the judges] didn't give him the marks. I thought he should have been in the low 40s, but instead he's on 48.2."
The combination are in 24th equal heading into tonight's (NZT) cross country, where his aim is to be celar and inside the time allowed on the tricky course.
"I'm not getting too excited at the moment," Paget said. "There's still a lot to be done."
Results from the Badminton Horse Trials in England overnight (NZT):
Michael Jung (GER) La Biosthetique Sam FBW 36 points, 1; Stefano Brecciaroli (ITA) Apollo VD Wendi Kurt Hoeve 36.8, 2; Dirk Schrade (GER) King Artus 39.2, 3; Jonathan Paget (NZL) Clifton Promise 39.7, 4; William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Parklane Hawk 40, 5; Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Nereo 40.2, 6; Sandra Auffarth (HER) Opgun Louvo 41.3 and Pippa Funnell (GBR) Redesigned 41.3, =7; Christopher Burton (AUS) Holstein Park Leilani 43, 9. Also: Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Averbury 45, 14; Jonathan Paget (NZL) Clifton Lush 48.2, =24; Lucy Jackson (NZL) Animator
II 51.5 and Mark Todd (NZL) Ravenstar 51.5, =35; Caroline Powell (NZL) Onwards and Upwards 56.8, =56; Caroline Powell (NZL) Boston Two Tip and Megan Heath (NZL) St Daniel 59.7, =65; Lucy Jackson (NZL) Willy Do 63.3, =78; Mark Todd (NZL) Major Milestone 67.8, 82.
