Thoughts from Friday's first timers

Surprisingly it is a first Burghley for Nicolas Touzaint (FRA), the only Frenchman to win Badminton (2007) and winner of the first Pau CCI5*, also in 2007. The double European champion and Olympic medallist rode Absolut Gold HDC to a score of 26.1 and overnight ninth place.

One place behind is Gaspard Maksud (FRA) who said of Zaragoza, “I'm delighted, she was super. I'm a bit emotional to be honest, I think it was a personal best at the level. Tomorrow is another day – we will have to be on our A game but I will give it a go.” He trains with Andrew Nicholson which will stand him in good stead ahead of the cross-country.

Rose Nesbitt sits in 21^st place on EG Michealangelo. She has produced “Jack” through the grades since she acquired him when she was 18 and together they have competed to five-star level, including a Badminton completion in 2022.

Scoring 30.9 Rose said: “I was really pleased with him – it was a personal best at the level, so I can't ask for much more. Thinking ahead he's a really good cross-country horse and we know each other inside out. I'll be watching the pros who go out early and learn from them.”

Nadja Minder (SUI) sits in 22^nd overnight, Toblerone scoring 31.0. It is her first trip to Burghley in any capacity, which she said: “Is probably not a bad thing as I’d have been too scared to come! I feel fortunate that I’ll be later to go tomorrow so I’ll have the chance to watch a few people early on before finalising my plan.

“I've been based with Piggy (March) for a few weeks, which has been very cool, she has been really helpful. I've had to make sure that I haven’t tried to make too many changes just before coming to a competition like Burghley and Piggy has said to me, ‘You’ve got your system which works and you’re at Burghley, so don’t change too much’. I never imagined that I’d be at Burghley or have a horse that I trust enough to go to Burghley.”

Second to go in front of the Ground Jury today was American rider Cosby Green with the eighteen-year-old Copper Beach who was taken to five-star level by Buck Davidson. “This was his best test to date which is pretty amazing. After Badminton this year [where the pair finished 31^st on their five-star debut together] he was ready for more, so we thought we'd come here and give Burghley a go. I'm really excited about tomorrow, I can't wait to get out there [on the cross-country]. I know that if my heart's out there then his will be too,” she said. With a score of 31.6 the pair lies in 26th going into the cross-country.

Will Rawlin is hard on Cosby's heels after Ballycoog Breaker Boy posted a 32.0. The pair had completed their first Badminton this spring. On the dressage Will said: “I came out thinking there were a few things I can work on. At Badminton I made quite a few mistakes, so I was aiming for fewer mistakes this time. I just fluffed one of the changes on the centre line, but other than that we had a ‘clear round’.”

Japan's sole representative, fresh from winning a team bronze in Paris, Ryuzo Kitajima scored 33 on Feroza Nieumoed. He said of his test: “When I was going round the outside of the arena he spooked at a big camera and I thought, 'oh no, he’s going to be spooky'. But he was much better inside the arena than outside. The cross-country is big, it's bold, it's Burghley!”

Representing Australia, are Sophia Hill and her ex-racehorse Humble Glory. She has come to the UK for the season, basing herself with Nicola Wilson, who she credits with helping her enormously. Humble Glory's career highlight so far came when winning the five-star at Adelaide in 2023, and he also enjoys pure showjumping with multiple wins at 1.30m level. “I'm very happy. He struggles with the dressage and the atmosphere was huge, but he stayed with me on the whole. That's a good score for us (36.9) so I'm very happy – and relieved.”

Andrew McConnon (USA) was sanguine about Wakita 54's 40.4 score to lie in 57^th place. “She's a great horse, but she wouldn't find the dressage easy, so I'm pleased enough with that. I came to Burghley for the first time as a spectator and have been a couple of other times. Wakita has always been a really good cross-country horse so I'm looking forward to getting out there. As long as I support her and guide her I think we'll have a good time,” he said.

Jesse Campbell and Cooley Lafitte are languishing down in 61^st place on a score of 41.1. The pair finished 15th at this year’s Badminton.