Equestrian: Nicholson third at Burghley

7.55am

New Zealander Andrew Nicholson and Lord Killinghurst knocked one show jump rail down to finish third as the Burghley horse trials ended in Lincolnshire, England, yesterday.

After the event, Nicholson said he probably benefitted from the 45-minute delay on the cross country while medical teams attended to British rider Caroline Pratt, who died when her horse, Primitive Streak, fell at a fence.

"He had a chance to get his breath back and came home nicely. He has his own way of dealing with the jumps," Nicholson said.

Nicholson's second horse, former Burghley winner Mr Smiffy, gave him no help in the show jumping and ended with five fences down to drop from eighth to 16th.

Overnight leader Andrew Hoy (Australia) appeared to have a stranglehold on the top positions, lying first with Moon Fleet, and third with Master Monarch after the cross-country.

On Moon Fleet he could afford two rails down and still win, but the horse lost concentration on entering the ring and blundered over the first fence

"He just didn't see it until we got there."

However they regained their composure, completing the course with just one more down and held on to win by only 0.2 penalties.

On Master Monarch, Hoy also dropped a rail, moving down from third to fourth place behind Nicholson. Second place went to Britain's Bumble Thomas riding The Psephologist, who had one of the fastest cross country rounds on Saturday in spite of being held up on the cross country after Pratt fell and was killed.

"I was held for 45 minutes when Caroline fell and I knew from the time taken how serious it was. It was difficult to get going again in the circumstances," Thomas said.

Young New Zealand rider Kate Hewlett produced another of the few clear show jumping rounds to rise from 32nd to finish in seventh place while Blyth Tait on Eze took eighth.

The stallion internet, which she has been riding for owners John and Jocelyn Bayly from Paihia, is to be sold in the United Kingdom while Kate returns home to Northland.

Internet has impressed the British eventing fraternity with two outstanding performances in top level events this year, finishing 15th at Badminton in the spring, and now seventh at Burghley.

- NZPA