Equestrianism: Star back in orbit: Thomson edges ahead

MARY THOMSON held a slender lead over Mark Todd when the first rainy day of dressage for the Remy Martin Three-Day Event was completed here yesterday. Thomson's mount was the nine- year-old Star Appeal, who has suffered a setback each year since being sidelined with a fetlock infection in 1992. Last year the gelding had a punctured foot; in January this year his off-foreleg was fractured when he was kicked by Thomson's other Burghley mount, King Kong.

The horse is fully fit again and Thomson plans to take all the direct routes when she tackles the daunting cross- country course tomorrow. Todd, riding Bertie Blunt, intends to do the same.

'I had a very good ride on him at Gatcombe,' Todd said of his new mount, with whom he finished third in the British Open Championship at the Gloucestershire course.

The New Zealander has been show jumping since - at Millstreet in Ireland and at Hickstead - so he has not had much opportunity to get to know the horse better.

Jorg Bodenmuller, a Swiss vet, who has never ridden at Burghley before, is in third place on the mare, Oree de la Brasserie. 'The course is wonderful, it's so beautiful here,' he said after his first inspection of the 34 cross- country fences.

REMY MARTIN THREE-DAY EVENT (Burghley, Lincs): Standings after first day of dressage: 1 Star Appeal (M Thomson, GB) 45.2 penalties; 2 Bertie Blunt (M Todd, NZ) 46.0; 3 Oree de la Brasserie (J Bodenmuller, Swit) 47.6; 4 Glendevlin (M Godfrey, US) 48.2; 5 Metronome (P Funnell, GB) 48.6; 6 Just Jeremy (L Murray, GB) 52.0.