Oliver Townend made a formidable start to the defence of his Defender Burghley Horse Trials crown.

Townend, 41, returns to the fabled 5* event with a new mount, 10-year-old Coolev Rosalent, one of the youngest horses in the field but already a top-flight winner in Kentucky earlier this year.

Olympic gold medallist Townend knows his way around Burghley, having won the event on three occasions, and looks set to challenge for the title again this year after a dazzling dressage score of 24.4.

“I’m very happy with that,” said the Ellesmere-based rider. 

“She’s still a very young horse to be at the level and this is as big as it gets in the world so I'm very happy with how she’s coped with the atmosphere and the test that she’s done.”

It remains to be seen how Townend fares without ‘horse of a lifetime’ Ballaghmor Class, with the pair having combined for seven podium finishes at 5* events.

With his mare’s youth in mind, Townend was quick to play down expectations.

“I’m always here to try and do my job and hope that she does hers but I’m here to continue her education and hopefully look after her and hopefully get a big result at the end of it,” said Townend.

“It definitely doesn’t get any easier. Every Burghley is a different one, all we know if the terrain is the same and the fences seem to get bigger and bigger and narrower and narrower. We’ll soon all be forgetting about dressage, that's for sure.”

Townend is one of the star attractions among a record-breaking field of entrants - the strongest on record - with eight 5* winners in the mix, rubber-stamping Burghley’s status as one of the best eventing spectacles in the world.

“Burghley is probably as big as eventing gets,” he added.

“If I wanted to say to somebody that was non horsey I’d want them to come here and say this is what eventing is.

“This is the biggest horse trials in the world and the hardest to win. That’s why it’s important to all the riders.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (5-8 September 2024) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world's top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk