Yorkshire duo prepare for duel at Badminton

But this is not surprising given the Market Weighton star’s fantastic prep run.

Cawood, 25, will partner Alfie XX in day one of today’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Grassroots Championships BE90 2013 class.

And the duo are approaching the competition quietly optimistic following a superb outing at Breckenbrough where the pairing finished seventh and just one place behind Northallerton’s Olympic silver medallist Nicola Wilson last month.

Wilson was on board one of her younger prospects Dartans Greenlough Tom in Breckenbrough’s BE100 event and last summer’s Games hero’s stable star is Opposition Buzz, who will begin his quest for glory in the four-star main event which begins on Friday.

Nevertheless, Cawood knows finishing one place behind an Olympic champion in any form is not bad going.

“Breckenbrough went great and I was chuffed to be one place behind Nicola Wilson,” said Cawood.

“I don’t know what horse she was on – it was a grey one – but it wasn’t Opposition Buzz.

“But it was great to have a good result there and I can’t wait to get going now.”

Among Cawood’s opponents will be Yorkshire builder/businessman Jonathan Procter on board Sumas William Of Orange. Procter, 49, feels victory will be secured by whichever pairing holds their nerve best.

“It’s just been a crescendo of nerves really, but now that we are here we will hopefully be okay,” said Procter.

“I’m fit and the horse is fit so that’s the main thing. I’d love to be in the top 10, but there’s more than 60 people in my class so I’d have to do very well to do that.

“There are three facets that have all got to be right and I expect who does least wrong will win.”