Equestrianism: Fox-Pitt aims to repeat Bramham glory

William Fox-Pitt would be delighted to repeat last year's sparkling form when he rides Moon Man and Parkmore Ed in the Bramham International Horse Trials that begin today in Yorkshire. He was on two different horses - Wallow and Ballincoola - when he filled the top two places last year. Another two from his Dorset yard - Tamarillo and Tom Cruise - carried him to victory at Badminton and Saumur last month.

William Fox-Pitt would be delighted to repeat last year's sparkling form when he rides Moon Man and Parkmore Ed in the Bramham International Horse Trials that begin today in Yorkshire. He was on two different horses - Wallow and Ballincoola - when he filled the top two places last year. Another two from his Dorset yard - Tamarillo and Tom Cruise - carried him to victory at Badminton and Saumur last month.

Moon Man also competed at Badminton's four-star meeting, but ran out of steam on soft ground in the cross-country. He is normally bold and accurate in cross-country, so Bramham's three-star track should give him an easy outing on Saturday.

Leslie Law and Jeanette Brakewell, who join Fox-Pitt in the Olympic team for Athens, are also in action at Bramham. Pippa Funnell, who won the Yorkshire event in 1992 and 2002, and Sarah Cutteridge will be the only absent members of the Athens quintet.

Sue Benson has designed the cross-country fences, aware, as always, that many of the horses will be on their first three-star track. "I am always conscious that the stars of the future are here to be educated," she said.