CORK’S Austin O’Connor was best of the Irish contingent at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, finishing in a very respectable 14th place after rolling two poles in the final phase on Sunday afternoon.

Home soil victory went to Paris Olympic team gold medallist Rosalind Canter, who was impeccable throughout the competition with Lordships Graffalo (Burkhof’s Grafenstolz x Rock King), setting the standard with a dressage mark of 22 penalties and adding nothing further other than 1.6 for time to solidify her lead.