Plunkett hopes Fox-Pitt is favoured by good luck and bright sunshine

William Fox-Pitt has had six successes and seven one-twos, making him the most successful rider currently competing at the Bramham International Horse Trials.

And presenter Alice Plunkett says her husband is intent on an amazing seventh success at the 2013 Equi-Trek-backed renewal.

Plunkett is not only one of the main faces of the Channel 4 Racing operation but also a key cog in the Fox-Pitt eventing team.

That team has proved virtually unstoppable at Bramham in recent years with last year’s CCI three-star success on Chilli Morning being Fox-Pitt’s sixth Bramham win in a glittering career.

In a break from tradition, Chilli Morning is back to defend his title in 2013 with his immediate ascension to four-star level not blossoming as expected.

He is joined by new recruit Running Order as well as rising star Before Time in the CIC event with the world No 2’s wife leaving little doubt that “lucky” Bramham is high on the list of their priorities.

“Bramham is a really big weekend in the eventing calender and certainly for team Fox-Pitt it’s one of the big ones,” Plunkett told the Yorkshire Post.

“William has had a lot of luck there – he is the most successful rider currently riding there – he’s had six wins and twice he’s had the one-two.

“Usually he uses it for, sort of, his really good young horses that are coming through as a stepping stone to maybe doing their first four-star either this autumn or next Spring.

“Once you have got a horse that goes around Bramham you know you have got the real deal.

“For us, we certainly save it for our best horses coming through.

“Last year was a mega year for us because Neuf Des Coeurs obviously won the CIC and Chilli Morning won the CCI.

“If we repeated that it would be a miracle – I don’t think that’s going to happen but Bramham has been a very lucky place.”

The competition at Bramham begins tomorrow with Fox-Pitt facing stern opposition in the CCI three-star event from a star-studded cast that also features world No 4 Oliver Townend, from Yorkshire.

Northallerton’s Olympic silver medallist Nicola Wilson is also competing as is Zara Phillips.

World No 5 Jonathan Paget also has two representatives in the CIC event.

But based on last year’s renewal, Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning are the pair to beat in the CCI event with Plunkett believing the 2012 victor can bounce back from his setback at the four-star Rolex Kentucky in which he led the dressage before being retired at the cross-country stage.

“He’s had a couple of nice quiet runs and hopefully he will be back on form for Bramham,” said Plunkett, whose husband’s Running Order could also be a major player stepping down from four-star level in the USA.

“We also have Running Order, who is a new ride for William who is an ex-racehorse from Enda Bolger who gave him to Bruce Springsteen – the pop star – because he didn’t make the grade racing.

“He has been competing in America at four-star level so we are dropping him down a grade.

“The partnership is still very young and they have had a few teething problems, but hopefully it will all come together at Bramham.

“Then in the CIC we have a horse called Before Time who won his one-star at Blair a couple of years ago and he was fifth in the two-star at Weston Park last Autumn.

“He went really well in the Advanced at Chatsworth the other day – he finished seventh there and he is a really striking, up-and-coming horse and we are looking forward to the challenge of Bramham with him.”

Three entries mean three strong chances, but however team Fox-Pitt fares, Plunkett knows that this weekend’s event is guaranteed to be as popular as ever with the attractions spreading far beyond the main events themselves.

Plunkett and Fox-Pitt will be joined by their three children – seven-year-old Oliver, six-year-old Thomas and six-months-old Chloe, with the mother of the family knowing exactly why Bramham attracts around 50,000 spectators each year.

Even the weather forecast is kind and Plunkett is predicting a 2013 event to savour.

“We’ve got three horses and two girls coming up and then obviously the family coming up as well,” she said excitedly.

“We’ve now got children who are all in the truck as well and three dogs, but we all squash in and it’s such a great event.

“We just love it.

“It’s also so much fun to come to Bramham with children as it’s not just about the competition, is it?

“It’s also about the country fair and we love the children’s section – we spend most of our time down there – shooting the bow and arrows and riding the quad bikes.

“There’s so much to enjoy there. I love the Hunter classes and obviously there’s top class show jumping.

“When we have finished our bit we love going down and sitting on the bank and watching the jumping.

“And just being in that park – it’s such a privilege to be in Yorkshire and to be in that park, and let’s just hope the weather is kind.

“Last year the weather was a bit mean, but it’s just fantastic to have access to a beautiful place like that.

“You’ve got the best in the world eventing and Yorkshire has obviously got such a strong tradition for show jumping.

“It will be a great weekend and we can’t wait.”

The box office for pre-booking Bramham tickets has now closed, but tickets will be available to purchase on the gate.