‘A big day for her’: Oliver Townend and star mare soar into Badminton lead ahead of cross-country

Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent delivered one of the best-ever dressage tests seen at Mars Badminton Horse Trials to soar into the lead ahead of cross-country.

Their score of 21.1 propelled them ahead of Thursday’s leaders Tom McEwen and JL Dublin (22.4, now second) and spearheads an all-British top-10 after dressage. It is also the fifth best dressage test in Badminton history, according to data analytics company EquiRatings.

Cooley Rosalent, last year’s Kentucky winner, flowed through the test – earning consistent high scores for each individual movement – to secure her lofty position.

Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s 11-year-old (by Valent, out of Roselier mare Bellaney Jewel) balances such grace with her athleticism. Oliver has long spoken of how excited he is by this mare, but today’s performance saw her step up from eminent professional to prima ballerina on Badminton’s stage.

“She’s just a natural athlete. Her pedigree is second to none, with her mother being a racehorse that won the Scottish Borders National, her father was a 1.50m horse. Somehow, the magic happened for once in breeding – and it’s worked,” said Oliver.

“She went in and brightened up with the crowd. She’s still relatively babyish despite doing what she’s done.

“One of her last memories [in an arena like that] is galloping around with me, with the crowd clapping at Kentucky. So today was a big atmosphere and a big day for her, but she’s coped brilliantly.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s cross-country, Oliver added: “She does have the stamina. It’s just up to me to give her the ride and save where I can, and be as quick as I can.

“When you’re at places like this, sometimes it’s your day and sometimes it isn’t. But I’ll just be doing my best to give her as good and as smooth a ride as possible, obviously to try and be as quick as possible, and hope that she gets the trip at the speed.”

Podium reshuffle in Badminton Horse Trials dressage

Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno were next to go in a power-packed conclusion to the first phase, giving the podium a quick-fire reshuffle. Their score of 24.7 means they are in provisional third overnight.

“It hasn’t been an all-easy preparation with her,” said Gemma, of the 17-year-old mare who is owned by Chris and Lisa Stone.

“She’s definitely been quite on edge, which is slightly new territory for me with her, because normally she’s very relaxed and almost lazy. But she’s been seriously hot to trot the last few days, so I had to ride her very slightly tentatively. She was still amazing and pulled off a serious test.”

The Chilli Morning daughter finished sixth here in 2023 and was second in the Grantham Cup – one of the major Badminton prep-runs – in the build up to this year’s event.

“It’s just been a case of trying to keep her fit, sound and happy, because she is 17, and she is a proper woman – she knows exactly what she wants out of life,” said Gemma, explaining the mare’s varied routine involves plenty of turnout, hacking and the water treadmill.

“She’s so well trained that I can just pick her up – she honestly only goes into school once a week, because otherwise I irritate her. She’s a funny old stick, but God, can she do it when she puts her mind to it!”

Both Oliver and Gemma head into tomorrow’s cross-country with two horses in the top-10. Oliver’s four-time CCI5*-winner Ballaghmor Class holds ninth (29.3) and Gemma’s Bicton five-star hero Chilli Knight is in 10th (29.5).

A little under 15 penalties cover more than half the field after the dressage at Badminton Horse Trials.

The 2022 winners Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo sit in fourth (25.3), Emily King and Valmy Biats are in fifth (27.3), and British first-timers Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky are in sixth (27.9). Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De Haar are in seventh ahead of Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ in eighth.

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