GALWAY’s Cathal Daniels had an ideal warm up run ahead of Badminton Horse Trials next month when finishing third in the CCI4*-L at Kronenberg in The Netherlands last Sunday aboard Sarah Hughes’ Barrichello.

The 13-year-old British-bred gelding, who is due to make his five-star debut in Badminton, opened his account on a dressage score of 34.7 to sit third. The cross-country obstacles didn’t bother any of the 11 starters, however Daniels was one of five inside the time before four faults over the coloured poles saw him complete on 38.6 in third place.

Victory went to Britain’s Helen Martin with Andreas; the pair were the only ones to finish on their dressage score (36.7). Frenchman Rodolphe Scherer was second aboard Song du Magay.

In a bigger CCI4*-S field, Daniels slotted into second place with Jo Breheny’s 12-year-old home-bred mare LEB Lias Jewel (Limmerick x Colin Diamond). The pair were unlucky not to finish on their dressage score (35.9) when picking up 0.8 time penalties in the final jumping phase to complete on 36.7. Once again, the cross-country was, in the main, straight forward, just troubling two combinations.

Daniels also finished sixth with Sarah Hughes’ nine-year-old Shannondale Mari (Shannondale Sarco st Ghyvan), who was bred by Martin Walsh, when adding just 3.6 time penalties across the country to a first phase score of 37.8.

Victory went to Germany’s Andreas Dibowski with his 2021 European Championship mount FRH Corrida who completed on their dressage score of 30.7. No combination was awarded a mark lower than 30 in the first phase.