Mary King impressive at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

Mary King made a strong start to her title quest in the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials this Friday.

The British Olympian, who was part of the London 2012 silver medal-winning team, finished third at Burghley last year aboard Kings Temptress.

And the same combination suggested they will be in the frame again this time around after a dressage score of 41.8 penalties left them third with more than half an 85-strong field having ridden.

King, 51, last won Burghley 16 years ago, and it is three years longer than that since an American took top honours at the showpiece Lincolnshire event.

But American pair Sinead Halpin and Will Faudree both produced strong showings in the dressage as overnight leader Ruth Edge found herself overhauled.

Halpin and Manoir de Carneville replaced Edge in pole position after collecting just 36.3 penalties, with Wiltshire-based Australian Clayton Fredericks (Walterstown Don) going into second on 40.8.

Faudree and Andromaque, meanwhile, went into fifth, level with Australian Megan Jones and Kirby Park Allofasudden, a combination that saw their Olympic hopes dashed by injury last month.

Results after Dressage

1 Sinead Halpin/Manoir de Carneville (USA) 36.3
2 Allison Springer/Arthur (USA) 40.0
3 Clayton Fredericks/Walterstown Don (AUS) 40.8
4 = Kai Ruder/Le Prince des Bois (GER) 41.0
4 = Andrew Nicholson/Avebury (NZL) 41.0
4 = William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 41.0
7 Lucy Jackson/Animator ll (NZ) 41.7
8 Mary King/Kings Temptress (GBR) 41.8
9 Sam Griffiths/Happy Times (AUS) 42.0
10 Oliver Townend/Armada (GBR) 43.5
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