King Kong calls shots

Equestrianism

Mary Thomson held the lead after the first day of dressage at the Badminton Three-Day Event, where an excellent test on King Kong left her two points ahead of Mark Todd on Just an Ace. Today Thomson rides her dressage on King William, who won the Mitsubishi Trophy here in 1992.

Thomson said that King Kong was "starting to buzz" towards the end of his test after the extended canters, but she managed to contain him to finish with the best score of the day.

Todd, the leader for most of the day, was delighted with Just an Ace. "He doesn't find flat work easy and he can get a bit tense," Todd said. "But he was very settled today and he did the best test he's ever done." The New Zealander hopes that his other mount, Bertie Blunt, will be equally obliging when he does his dressage this afternoon.

Ian Stark is lying third with Caliber, who is owned by Jane Storey and used to be ridden by her husband, Clive, a point-to-point rider. Caliber jogged during both walk movements in an otherwise excellent test, finishing the day just 0.2pts ahead of New Zealand's Victoria Latta on her seasoned campaigner, Chief.

Kristina Gifford (who, like Thomson, was a member of the winning British team at last year's World Equestrian Games) is now fifth on Midnight Blue II. Gifford has help from the Olympic dressage rider, Emile Faurie, with this horse who was bought at Malvern Sales as an unbroken three-year-old.

Thomson said that King Kong has become quite spooky at cross-country obstacles that incorporate water or ditches since he finished second at Burghley last September. She is keeping her options open as to how she will tackle the double into The Lake (fence 18) during tomorrow's phase. "I'll take the slow route at the first water and, if Conker carries on smoothly and feels confident, I'll go the quick way at the lake," she said.