Veteran rider Todd returns to lead field at Badminton

The 55-year-old double Olympic champion will become Badminton’s oldest winner if he triumphs in today’s showjumping finale.

He leads with NZB Land Vision after cross-country, just 0.2 penalties ahead of Marina Kohncke, who is bidding to become Germany’s first Badminton champion on Calma Schelly.

Todd, though, did not know until an almost hour after he concluded the cross-country phase that he was in front when it emerged that Kohncke’s cross-country time had been modified and she was given a total of two penalties following an earlier miscalculation.

The top 12 riders are separated by less than one showjumping fence, with a congested leaderboard also including British quartet Nicola Wilson (Opposition Buzz), Piggy French (Jakata), Laura Collett (Rayef) and Mary King (Imperial Cavalier).

Todd retired after the 2000 Sydney Olympics and trained racehorses before returning to the sport seven years later. He won his first Badminton crown in 1980, 10 years before Collett was born.

And he has clearly lost none of the qualities that saw equestrian sport’s governing body acclaim him as their best rider of the 20th century.

Todd said: “The horse is relatively young and quite inexperienced.

“He felt a bit green out there, and he got tired towards the end, but as a lot of horses did coming out of Huntsmans Close and The Quarry.

“I had to nurse him home from there, but he never stopped trying and I think that is the mark of a good horse.

“I hope the horse is okay for the vet inspection tomorrow, and I will hope to jump a clear round. Then in it will be in the lap of gods.”

Kohncke, who was held on the course after Louise Skelton fell from Partly Pickled, took her late time addition graciously, even though it moved her from first to second place.

The 43-year-old has not competed at Badminton since 1994, and she said: “It is fantastic to be back here. It’s unbelievable for me, really.

“My horse is a showjumping-bred horse, so she is normally very careful. But you never know what will happen tomorrow.”

Wilson, meanwhile, leads the British challenge in third spot after another brilliant cross-country round from her world and European Great Britain team gold medalist Opposition Buzz.

“He is an absolute joy to ride cross-country – he loves his job, and he just went from strength to strength,” she said.

Ruth Edge, a clear leader after dressage, saw her hopes vanish with refusals at Huntsmans Close and The Quarry before she retired Two Thyme, while Emily Baldwin – fifth overnight on Drivetime – also failed to finish.

And there was misery for strongly-backed 2009 Badminton winner Oliver Townend, whose victory hopes ended at The Quarry when he fell from Ashdale Cruise Master.