Casburn proves premier 5* status with cross-country class at Burghley

Alice Casburn proved the epitome of the phrase ‘patience is a virtue’ as she put on one of her best performances during the second phase of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

The Corpusty local has finished fifth and seventh at her previous two outings at the prestigious Stamford venue but made a serious statement of intent when she recorded one of the fastest times in the cross country phase.

The fairytale performance comes after the 22-year-old eventer endured a tough time in the opening dressage phase, admitting her gelding had become ‘over-excited’ by the big stage.

“Topspin was amazing in the cross country, as always,” she said. “He came out really excitable - normally I have to kick him along - so saying ‘wow slow down’ when we came out of the start box was quite new to me.

“He really did make it happen for me, he tried his absolute heart out for me and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Casburn had previously expressed concern over the effects her gelding’s nervous energy might have during their cross-country outing on one of the world’s toughest courses, but both jockey and horse held their nerve to produce a competitive performance.

The four mile course has been a hot-topic in the build up to this year’s Burghley, with riders anxiously anticipating the scale of the fences and unpredictable terrain, but Casburn was full of praise for course designer Derek di Grazia.

“I think the course is very similar to the one we saw two years ago,” she said. “It’s really intense at the start but as long as your horse isn’t pulling you along like mine was today, you should be alright.

“It’s quite funny because the leaf pit looked really scary when I was out walking the course, really big and quite frightening, but it jumped really well. I think that’s the sign of a really good course designer.

“Someone who builds something that looks really quite frightening and frightens the riders but encourages the horses to ride really well is very clever.”

Burghley is only Casburn and Topspin’s eighth 5* appearance - no small achievement given the Norwich native’s young age - but the duo’s cross country performance bodes well as they hope to maintain their history of finishing inside the top ten.

Several of the more senior but nonetheless esteemed riders in the field, including Britain’s Oliver Townend, failed to complete the cross-country phase, but Casburn is taking none of the credit for making it round without a hitch.

“Actually I just couldn’t stop today so I’m afraid I’m not really one to ask about that,” she said when asked to reveal her secret to a successful Burghley test.

“Normally I just try to keep in a rhythm and keep moving, try not to change the breathing pattern or stride. I find that encouragement with the voice really works with me and he perks up.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (5-8 September 2024) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world's top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk