IN her build-up to the four-star Burghley International Horse Trials at the end of the month, Clare Abbott competed in last weekend’s CIC3* at Burgham in the north east of England where Euro Prince recorded his best dressage score.

Owned and bred by the McKay family, the 14-year-old Lougheries Quiet Man gelding, who was 14th at Badminton, picked up two show jumping time penalties and four for time across the country to complete in eighth place on 49.7. The Laura Collett-partnered Mr Bass topped the leaderboard on his first phase score of 39.9.

“His dressage was a personal best, 43.7, and, as it came under two high profile judges (Sue Baxter and Andrew Bennie), I’m chuffed with the score,” said Abbott. “The show jumping was a big, technical course built by Di Boddy and it tested the whole class – there weren’t too many clears.

“The ground held up after a lot of rain and the cross-country was fantastic. It was a credit to course designer David Evans as it was no soft three-star and I’m so pleased I went there for a pre-Burghley run.

“You had to ride every bit – big and bold distances to corners and skinnies, two waters, one after another, with quite different tests. It was a lovely event and since Sparky has been around Camphire so many times we went to Burgham for a fresh challenge which we certainly got.

“Timpany Night (Abbott’s own Nigrasine nine-year-old) contested her first CIC2* and she really pulled out all the stops on the cross-country. It was a tough test and she grew in confidence the further she went. A jockey error meant four faults in the show jumping, other than that, it was a solid performance from her!” concluded Abbott.