Mary King has set herself up for a crack at her fifth British Open Championship title at The Festival of British Eventing presented by BETA. Having completed two exemplary dressage tests she is in first and second place with her British team horse Imperial Cavalier (Archie) and her homebred mare Kings Temptress (Tessa).

‘So far so good’, joked Mary. ‘Archie did a beautiful test, with just a couple of small mistakes. – he was late behind in his second flying change and put his head up high in the halt. Tessa (Kings Temptress) my homebred mare was, for her, faultless,’ said Mary who is looking forward with relish to the cross-country.

‘I always enjoy Gatcombe,’ she said. ‘It is a big decent course which really sets you up for a major championship such as the World Equestrian Games (her goal with Archie in September).

British team reserve Oliver Townend is currently third with the grey Ashdale Cruise Master and Antipodean riders Paul Tapner (with two horse), Sam Griffiths and Andrew Nicholson hold the following four places. Show jumping for this class starts at midday on Sunday.

Oliver gained his third British Novice Championship title when he ran away with the Dodson and Horrell Novice Championship on Jeepers Creepers, a nine-year-old roan gelding owned by Olivia Tappin.

The combination won the class on their dressage score, beating Sharon Hunt and Azeb. Vicky Tuffs, third on Nothing Venture, was the only other rider to finish on a clean sheet.

New Zealander Dan Jocelyn, a perennial visitor to Gatcombe, won Advanced Section A with the four-star veteran Special Advocate while Herefordshire-based Louise Skelton was the delighted victor in Advanced Section B with her favourite horse, the homebred Bit of a Barney.