Todd tumbles over ‘coffin’

Press, 21 April 1986, Page 3

Todd tumbles over ‘coffin’

By

KARREN NIMMO,

NZPA staff correspondent

Badminton A disappointed Mark Todd stood watching as his friend, lan Stark, of Scotland, rode through the gruelling cross-country into an almost unbeatable lead at Badminton.

' Todd, riding the eight-year-old Michaelmas Day, was handily placed as he approached the final cross-country fences in Britain’s premier threeday event.

But the horse lost his stride as he rode into the second phase of the “the coffin” obstacle and clipped a front leg on the top rail. Todd tumbled over his head to the ground — a fall which cost him 60 penalty points. The coffin proved a real trouble spot for Todd. Earlier his other entry, Any Chance, had a refusal at the jump. Any Chance lay in sixth place after yesterday’s cross-country, but Todd’s best crack at this year’s title faded as Michaelmas Day dropped into twentyfirst place.

Todd said he was pleaed with the efforts of both horses. They were “very inexperienced” at top level and yesterday’s heavy conditions made things difficult Rain has lashed the course since the dressage began on Thursday. "They both got very tired towards the end. But Mick (Michaelmas Day) must’ve been very fast up until the coffin,” he said. Todd, shaking his head,

did not rule himself out of the event But he said there was almost no chance of a placing. Stark, aged 32, will start the showjumping with a jump “in hand.” Riding Sir Wattle, he is 9.6 points ahead of the secondplaced Rachel Hunt of Britain, on Piglet 11. A dropped rail would cost him just five points. Stark, a member of the British team for the world championships, has been based at Todd”s Cholderton home since his horse Oxford Blue went into quarantine at Wylye.

The 4.5 mile cross country course, which follows almost 90 minutes of steeplechasing and road and track tests, is billed as the toughest in the world. Results after the cross country (British unless stated) Stark (Sir Wattle) 68, 1; Hunt (Piglet II) 77.6, 2; Rodney Powell (Pomeroy) 79.8, 3; Leng (Night Cap II) 94.2, 4; Bruce Davidson (J. J. Babu, U.S.A.) 95.8, 5; Todd (Any Chance, N.Z.) 98.4, 6; Jane Starkey (Buckley) 107, 7; Madeleine Gurdon (The Done Thing) 109.6, 8; Miranda Lucey (The Dark Imp) 112.6, 9; Jane Thelwall (Marsh Heron) 115.2, 10.