Racing: Record Badminton contingent

A record eight New Zealand riders aboard 12 horses will contest the famous Badminton three-day horse trial in England, starting late tonight.

Double Olympic champion Mark Todd is riding Grass Valley, 30 years after his first win at Badminton. Six-time Olympian Andrew Nicholson is returning for his record 26th appearance, riding three horses.

The field includes Beijing Olympic combinations Caroline Powell and Lenamore, and Joe Meyer and Snip, and Meyer has two other entries.

Dan Jocelyn, Bruce Haskell, Neil Spratt and Annabel Wigley are the other New Zealanders in the field, which will be chasing a first prize of £60,000. There are 150 combinations entered from 15 countries.