Todd not at home to media

By PAUL YANDALL

Double Olympic equestrian champion Mark Todd paid a fleeting visit to his new $1.2 million Cambridge home yesterday but remained silent about allegations of cocaine use in Britain.

Todd flew into New Zealand early yesterday to inspect his 60ha property and and family home, which is being renovated, before crossing the Tasman today for his Olympic campaign.

He and wife Carolyn were working in a packing shed on the property when the Herald approached him. The couple were waiting for Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry officers to inspect horse hair brought into the country by Todd from Britain.

Todd was not prepared to comment on claims by the London-based Sunday Mirror newspaper that he snorted cocaine during a gay sex romp in Britain in June.

He said he would consider speaking to the media later but not before the Olympics. He asked to be left alone to prepare for his campaign.

"I've been good to you [New Zealand media]. Now I want you to respect my privacy," he told the Herald.

His mother, Lenore Todd, who also lives in Cambridge, said her son was in New Zealand for only a day.

Todd, the 1984 and 1988 Olympic three-day event champion, grew up near Cambridge and bought his farm this year.

He plans to breed and train racehorses there after the Olympics.

He tested clear of cocaine in drug tests last month.

Todd and five other members of NZ's Olympic riding team all tested negative during the tests for more than 200 substances, including cocaine, morphine, performance-enhancing drugs and cannabis.

NZ equestrian team manager Ross Coles said from Sydney yesterday that Todd was expected to join the Olympic team in a day or two.

Todd, who had been expected to travel straight to Australia from Britain after last week's Burghley horse trials, had told him he wanted to settle things at home first.

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