The Mars Badminton Horse Trials wait listing has simply three horses on it following the reveal of entries for this 12 months’s occasion (8-12 Could) – and one is a five-star winner.

Badminton accepts 85 entries every year and wait lists the remaining so as of FEI factors received at top-level occasions over the previous two years. Wait-listed pairs substitute those that withdraw till 2pm on the Sunday earlier than the occasion. This 12 months, 90 horses had been entered for the occasion. Of these, 87 have been accepted as a result of two riders have “double-entered” – Oliver Townend has entered three horses however will solely run a most of two and Kirsty Chabert has entered two however will solely begin on one.

That leaves three horses on the wait listing, who’re virtually sure to be provided the possibility to run – because the ready listing system was introduced in in 2008, between 14 and 43 have been accepted from it within the years when there was a wait listing (there was no ready listing final 12 months; all these entered had been accepted right away).

High of the listing is Harry Meade’s Away Cruising, owned by Jane Pricey and Charlotte Opperman. Away Cruising is a five-star stalwart, with three finishes at Badminton and three at Burghley Horse Trials to his identify. However his five-star begins over the previous two years haven’t garnered excessive placings and Harry doesn’t run the gray competitively at CCI4*-Ss, so he doesn’t accrue many factors there, therefore why he’s on the wait listing.

Harry is in the primary draw on Cavalier Crystal, who was third at Burghley Horse Trials final 12 months, and Crimson Kite. This implies Harry might effectively line up on three horses, a brand new scenario for 2024 as in recent times opponents have solely been allowed to journey a most of two horses at Badminton. Harry will solely have ultimate permission to start out on a 3rd horse as soon as all of the horses on the wait listing have been accepted, however this needs to be a formality.

Second on the wait listing is Neil File’s 18-year-old mare DHI Babette Okay, who accomplished Badminton in 2022 with Becky Heappey, however didn’t occasion final 12 months.

The third horse on the Badminton Horse Trials wait listing is Chris Stone’s Chilli Knight, ridden by Gemma Stevens, whose place on the wait listing may be attributed to the very fact he has had a while on the sidelines since he received the one-off five-star at Bicton Horse Trials in 2021.

Gemma additionally has Jalapeno entered for Badminton and information analytics firm EquiRatings give her a 7% probability of profitable on her, alongside Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class and behind solely Piggy March (Brookfiekd Inocent) at 19% and Ros Canter (Izilot DHI) at 16%.

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Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand expertise of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and worldwide CCI2*-L stage, and has labored within the trade on a prime occasion yard. Pippa enjoys nothing greater than immersing herself within the sport on the highest stage, reporting from the five-stars and worldwide championships, together with the Olympics.