King leads the way after day one at Burghley

By Howard Lloyd, Sportsbeat, at Burghley

DOUBLE Olympic medallist Mary King tops the pile after day one of the Burghley Horse Trials despite leaving the pick of her stable behind - but she's counting no chickens just yet.

RIDING HIGH: Two-time Olympic medallist Mary King tops the pile after day one of the Burghley Horse Trials

The 49-year-old has left Imperial Cavalier at home this week with a view to the World Equestrian Games later this month but riding Apache Sauce she collected 44.8 dressage points to lead on Thursday night.

King will return to the dressage ring with King's Temptress on Friday as the second half of the field begin their Burghley campaigns, safe in the knowledge she has already laid down a marker and leads by two points from five-time winner William Fox-Pitt.

But with last year's champion Oliver Townend still to start his quest, and with Apache Sauche prone to playing up, King is taking nothing for granted.

"It's gone well so far but you never know with him [the horse] because he is so inconsistent," she said. "He is definitely getting calmer though. The older he gets, the better he is at coping at these events, so that's a good thing.

"He's a typical red-head though, not that he can help it, but he's certainly got that little bit of sharpness inside and he finds it difficult to contain it at times.

"I think the course is really great and I think he's done a fantastic job of designing it.

"I don't mind which order I ride my two horses in. King's Temptress is capable of doing a really quality test but I have had a couple of blips with here recently over cross country.

"But she is a good cross-country horse. Show jumping is definitely the weakest for the two of them so we'll see how the rest of the week goes."

Fox-Pitt, who will join King at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky at the end of the month, is currently in second place with Macchiato.

"I am delighted," said Fox-Pitt. "That was his best ever test however there is a lot to do over the next few days."