EXPERIENCE counted for all at Burghley Horse Trials last weekend when the four star cross country course became even more testing due to the wet weather, writes Lee Glanville.

EXPERIENCE counted for all at Burghley Horse Trials last weekend when the four star cross country course became even more testing due to the wet weather, writes Lee Glanville. Mary King proved that she can produce the goods time and time again at the highest level when she finished third and fourth, producing two horses within two penalty points of one another at the end of a three day event, and earning £46,000 in the process. The top two places were taken by Team GB colleague William Fox Pitt, with 26 horse and rider partnerships withdrawing during or after the Mark Phillips designed cross country phase, 30 completing the entire event. Fox Pitt won with Tamarillo on a score of 47.8, adding no cross country penalties to his 39.8 dressage and having two showjumps down. Ballincoola was second on 55, followed by Mary's pair, Imperial Cavalier on 58.7 and Apache Sauce on 60.7. Imperial Cavalier had the better dressage score 41.5 to Apache's 49.1, but the latter was quicker cross country. In the showjumping Imperial Cavalier moved up from fifth, while Apache Sauce moved up from 11th. There were only two clear showjumping rounds from the 30 taking part. l Mary is in action at the Blenheim Horse Trials this weekend on homebred mares King's Fancy and King's Temptress. As the Herald went to press Mary was seventh on King's Temptress with another full day's dressage tests still to be ridden today, Friday. Mary was thrilled with both horses. She said: "Imperial Cavalier went beautifully cross country. Some of the fences caused all sorts of problems but he flew round. His dressage is coming along and I think the more he is stretched at this level the easier he will find it. I was urging him on quite early on cross country but the ground was very heavy. "A few years ago I would never have believed that Apache Sauce would be in the top four at Burghley! He just keeps on gradually improving and I think there is more to come from him." Mary was just off to walk the cross country course at Blenheim but, with more heavy rain forecast, was concerned that it may become too churned up with so many horses due to compete.