THE dark clouds that have covered the Duke of Beaufort’s estate finally lifted today, helping the thousands of visitors at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials enjoy a fabulous afternoon of cross-country action under sunny skies.

Andrew Nicholson, who led after the dressage stage, retains his overnight lead after a faultless round on Nereo (37.8 pens), but it is very tight at the top and two former British winners – William Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend – also produced immaculate rounds so they now lie in second and third place ahead of the show-jumping phase tomorrow, with just 0.6 pen between them on 39pens and 39.6pens, and a further 0.6 ahead of German rider Ingrid Klimke in fourth position (40.2).

But Marlborough-based New-Zealander Nicholson has an ace up his sleeve as his other ride, Calico Joe, is currently lying in seventh position on 43.5pens, giving him two shots at the trophy tomorrow. However former winners and fellow antipodeans Jock Paget, Paul Tapner and Sam Griffiths, who are all Australians now based in this country, are also all in strong positions after the cross country.

Said Nicholson: “I’m going to go home tonight and spend some time with my young children and feed the chickens – do all the normal things – then I will come back tomorrow and focus on trying to jump a clear round.”

The day ended less happily for many of our local riders, as Chipping Sodbury’s Nick Gauntlett was forced to withdraw El Grado before the start of the cross country, together with crowd favourite Mary King.

Wiltshire’s Flora Harris, who was lying in a fantastic 13th position after the dressage phase, was also forced to withdraw after completing the cross-country course on Amazing VIII with multiple faults.

Gloucestershire’s Julie Tew, riding Lord of the Owls, was eliminated.

However it is expected that Wiltshire’s Georgie Spence and Ben Way will still be competing in tomorrow morning’s show jumping phase, subject to vetting.

Out of from 82 cross country starters there were 62 completions, 52 clear rounds and 13 clear and inside the time. However, with less than one fence separating the top five riders, everything rests on tomorrow’s show-jumping results.

Tomorrow’s final horse inspection takes place at 8.30am, the jumping phase for the lower-placed competitors will start at 11.30am and the top 20 will jump at 2.45pm.