THE LAND ROVER BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS 2008

Despite the wettest Burghley in living memory, the Autumn Classic of Eventing did not disappoint with the fans braving the elements and turning up in their tens of thousands to see a world class field, including two of Britain's Beijing Olympic bronze medallists fighting it out for this year's title and the £50,000 first prize.

Whilst Britain's Ruth Edge and Mr Dumbledore set the early pace with a sparkling dressage test of 33.7 penalties, the chasing pack including four previous Burghley winners ( William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Andrew Hoy and Andrew Nicholson) were seperated by less than twenty penalties with the toughest cross country track of the year ahead of them.

With ever softening ground the optimum time over the 6,555 metre and 32 fence course was never going to be easy. Indeed just 2 made it, America's Philip Dutton on Woodburn and defending champion William Fox-Pitt riding Tamarillo at Burghley for the very first time.

For good measure Ballincoola, the 2005 Burghley Champion, incurred just 2.8 time faults in the hands of William Fox-Pitt to go third with Mary King moving up to 4th and 5th with Imperial Cavalier and Apache Sauce.

Sunday morning dawned with the disappointing withdrawal of Woodburn from second place leaving William Fox-Pitt and Mary Kinmoccupying the top four places: William and Tamarillo with a three fence cushion in pole position to earn William a fifth Burghley title having previously triumphed on Chaka in 1994, Highland Lad in 2002, Ballincoola in 2005 and 2007 on Pakmore Ed - a feat only previously achieced by the outstanding Virginia Leng (nee Holgate) and the great Mark Todd.

DVD Info

Region: 2
Running Time: 104 minutes
Release Date: 16/10/08