Paul Tapner is on course for his second Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials title in four years after emerging from a dramatic day of cross-country action at the top of the leaderboard.
The Australian, who lives in Wiltshire, and Kilronan were one of only 35 combinations to complete the new-look course, designed this year by Guiseppe Della Chiesa.
A further 42 failed to do so, among them favourites Andrew Nicholson and William Fox-Pitt and the leaders after the dressage phase, American Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen.
Tapner heads into Sunday's showjumping finale on 56.4 points, with New Zealander Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy just over five penalties back in second after producing the fastest round of the day – albeit well outside the optimum time. Frenchman Pascal Leroy and Minos De Petra are third and Oliver Townend, with Armada, leads the British challenge in fourth place on a score of 62.7.
"Before I set off my coach, Prue Barrett, said to me: 'It's a battlefield out there – just come home clear.' So that's what I tried to do," said Tapner.
After seeing only 24 combinations post clear rounds on heavy ground and in windy conditions, designer Della Chiesa said: "The expectation was that the course was strong and there were a lot of unexpected mishaps – but that's the sport. I was surprised by how much trouble the keyhole at the Outlander Bank [fence 13] caused.
"Yes, I would like to have seen more horses finishing, but the statistics do not tell the whole story. A lot of the top riders retired their horses after having one refusal instead of carrying on."
Woolard's Dani Evans – the youngest competitor in the field - and Raphael II were eliminated after a fall at the fifth fence.
