Burton leads Australian eventing hopes

Australia is on the verge of gold medal glory in eventing with Chris Burton leading the way in the individual competition and the Aussies also occupying first position in the team’s event.

Strong cross country performances have given Australia the advantage leading into Tuesday’s crucial show jumping rounds in which the team and individual medals will be decided.

Burton’s individual result combined with the performances of his team members have Australia sitting on 150.30 penalties. They have one show jumping rail in hand as second-placed New Zealand is on 154.80 penalties. France is third with 161 penalties and Germany fourth with 172.80 penalties.

The leader board is closer in the individual race with Burton sitting on 37.60, less than four penalties (one show jumping rail) in front of Michael Jung of Germany who has 40.90 penalties. France’s Astier Nicolas is third with 42 penalties.

Burton was in second position after the dressage phase but a dominant cross country round moved him into the gold medal position. Early leader William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain was relegated down the leader-board after his horse had a refusal.

Despite taking longer routes on course, Burton’s horse Santano II had a fast and consistent pace which ensured he returned home within the allocated time. The Rio Olympics is the first occasion that Santano II has competed at a four-star event.

“He’s a very green, inexperienced horse so I took full long routes,” Burton said.

“For a horse with very little blood in his breeding, he is a rocket. So I’m delighted at this stage.

“The guys were having fun with me, they said ‘well he started out like the three (star) novice horse that he is but he finished a four-star horse, so we’re over the moon’.”

Fellow Australian Sam Griffiths also completed a clear run, but picked up 6.8 time penalties. Individually Griffiths sits in ninth position with a score of 53.10.

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