No break for winner Todd

Mark Todd will fly to the United States on Tuesday £60,000 richer and installed as the oldest champion in Badminton Horse Trials history.

The legendary New Zealand eventer delivered an ice-cool clear showjumping round on NZB Land Vision to shade British London Olympic hopefuls Piggy French and Mary King.

But the 55-year-old double Olympic champion had little time to celebrate his fourth Badminton crown, as a flight beckoned to Lexington where he will compete on NZB Grass Valley in next weekend's Rolex Kentucky event.

And if Todd triumphs there, he would be two-thirds of the way to a possible £230,000 Rolex Grand Slam for landing successive Badminton, Kentucky and Burghley titles - a feat only British rider Pippa Funnell has previously achieved.

Great Britain team chief Yogi Breisner, who finished third when Todd first won Badminton in 1980, hailed his remarkable achievement.

"It is really good for the sport," said Breisner. "Eventing is all about the partnership between horse and rider, and Mark has done it once again."

Breisner was also delighted with a strong British showing that saw French (Jakata) finish second, King (Imperial Cavalier) third, Nicola Wilson (Opposition Buzz) seventh, and 21-year-old prospect Laura Collett (Rayef) eighth on her Badminton debut.

But Todd took the glory - on Land Vision's debut at the elite four-star level - and underlined exactly why equestrian's world governing body named him their greatest rider of the 20th century.

Todd took an eight-year break from eventing after the 2000 Sydney Olympics - he had already won successive Olympic golds at Los Angeles and Seoul - to concentrate on training racehorses.

"To come back after a lay-off and to do it 31 years after my first Badminton win, it's up there with the back-to-back Olympic golds in 1984 and 1988," he said.