Equestrian: Todd out of touch at Kentucky

Mark Todd is out of touch with the leaders in the Kentucky three-day event after a late run-out aboard NZB Grass Valley during the cross country phase this morning (NZT).

Joe Myer is the best placed New Zealander after he and Snip went clear but picked up 17.6 time faults leaving them in 14th spot.

Meyer is on 69.4 points with Todd, who also had time faults as well as the run-out, on 83 points in 18th spot.

"He was really going up until the third to last. I felt he might have been a little tired, and I was maybe a bit too relaxed at that point on the course. You can never disregard a course, there are a lot of big jumps," Todd said.

Great Britain's Mary King is sitting pretty at the top of the field, leading on 47.7 points aboard Kings Temptress and also in second spot with 49.7 on Fernhill Urco.

Very few of the field went clear and inside time over the course, with 15 of the field eliminated or retired during the cross country, or withdrawn before starting.

The showjumping phase starts in the early hours of Monday morning.

New Zealand dressage riders are continuing their good form at the Sydney CDI3* with a solid fourth place last night by Manawatu's Penny Castle on Gymstar One (owned by Julie Brougham) in the Grand Prix freestyle with their 69 per cent score.

Taranaki's Vanessa Way and KH Arvan were seventh on 65.4 per cent.

Meanwhile, Katie McVean will start in the final round of the Wold Cup showjumping final in Leipzeig, Germany early tomorrow morning.

She lies in fourth spot and is already New Zealand's best-ever performer at World Cup level.

Just 27 of the original 43-strong field have made it through, and McVean and Dunstan Delphi will be one of the final combinations to compete.

- NZPA