Zara Tindall made a promising start in pursuit of her first Defender Burghley Horse Trials crown, 20 years on from finishing second in a dazzling debut, writes Sportsbeat's Ben Hart.

The event may have held 4* status back in 2003 but Tindall and Toytown delivered the archetypal five-star performance to finish just four marks off the top prize.

Tindall made a strong, if not spectacular start to her ninth Burghley appearance, with Class Affair scoring 31.3 in Thursday’s dressage, a few marks down from their dressage total last year, but Tindall remained upbeat.

“It’s early on the first morning so it’s hard to pull the marks out of the judges but I’m really pleased with him and if we can finish on that score it would be great,” she said.

“He’s not easy in any phase, he’s very tricky in his jaw and his head but he’s very capable which is the annoying thing about it and hopefully we can make it happen.”

Tindall’s father, Captain Mark Phillips, designed the storied course for 30 years prior to the pandemic, but things look a little different this year.

California native Derek di Grazia has made a few alterations for his second year in charge, such as reversing the direction of travel along Winner’s Avenue, but Tindall is taking heart from the remaining similarities to her father’s courses.

“I don’t think they are hugely different,” she said. “They obviously have a slightly different style with the combinations and technicality of it all but essentially it’s still Burghley with big fences, you have to jump all the way around, there are no let-ups, and the terrain always comes into play.

“It’s a nice, flowing attack and you just have to get out there and attack it. Hopefully they enjoy it and do what you ask.”

The venue holds a special place in the Phillips family, with both Mark and Anne, Princess Royal, former winners of the event and Tindall insists the event has not lost its charm through the years.

“It’s just an incredible place to ride round, it’s always tough, the competition is incredible,” she added.

“The horses have to be so fit and with you the whole way and it’s a complete test of horse and rider and the partnership of your training and what we do day in, day out.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (31st August - 3 September 2023) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world’s top equestrians and over 170,000 visitors. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk