Funnell top despite mistake

Pippa Funnell and William Fox-Pitt, two former winners at Badminton Horse Trials, are in first and second place at the end of the two days of dressage here.

Funnell, who won the event in 2002 and 2003, has a five-point lead over Fox-Pitt with her Olympic horse Primmore's Pride. She managed to preserve the advantage despite making a mistake in the dressage when he broke into canter from extended trot.

"I was trying to be brave and went for it," said Funnell, who was "furious" with herself, but she was still pleased with the horse' s performance. "I think there is more to come from him; he is getting better and better."

By contrast, Fox-Pitt was disappointed with the 13-year-old Tamarillo - his partner when winning here last year and when competing at the Athens Olympic games - who was "in the wrong frame of mind" yesterday.

"I've never known him like this," said Fox-Pitt "He felt ready to explode. But this is his fourth Badminton, and he knows what's ahead of him".

Fox-Pitt was referring to today's 34-fence cross-country course, which he thinks is more difficult than last year, though "not the most frightening Badminton course we've ever seen", but with two horses in the top five, he is in a strong position.

His second horse, Ballincoola, is lying in fifth place behind Leslie Law, who produced an impressive test on his Olympic gold medal partner, Shear L'Eau.

"I felt more relaxed and more confident today," said Law, "I think I rode a braver test than usual."

First-time riders at Badminton have made their mark over the first two days and there are currently three of them in the top seven places.

Francis Whittington, 27, who has trained with the German rider Bettina Hoy at Gatcombe, rode a personal best dressage test on the grey gelding Spin Doctor, on whom he finished 34th at Burghley last year, to go into third place.

Sussex-based Whittington, who is trained as a horse dentist, rode in the British pony team in 1993, winning the individual gold medal and team silver at the European Championships, and last year he became only the third rider ever to finish the cross country within the optimum time at the Open Championships at Gatcombe.

Milla Healey, riding Zarzoo, and the Japanese rider Hoshiaki Olwa, on Voyou du Roc, the best placed overseas competitor, are lying sixth and seventh.