Equestrianism: Tait squeezes narrow victory

BLYTH TAIT, of New Zealand, gained a narrow victory in yesterday's Pedigree Chum Pre- Badminton Section of the Cornbury Park horse trials, after a cross-country ride on Delta, writes Genevieve Murphy.

The world champion will be first to go when he partners Delta at the Badminton three- day event next week.

Karen Dixon will be last to go at Badminton on Get Smart, with whom she finished runner- up one point behind Tait yesterday.

The New Zealand threat for Badminton looked more formidable then ever when Mark Todd, the dual Olympic champion, rode Kinvarra and Just an Ace to finish third and fifth.

CORNBURY PARK HORSE TRIALS (Charlbury): Pedigree Chum Pre-Badminton Section: 1 Delta (B Tait) 49 pens; 2 Get Smart (K Dixon) 50; 3 Kinvarra (M Todd) 51. Advanced Section G: 1 The Soft Spot (L Law) 50; 2 Maisy Brown (P Muir) 52; 3 Special (D Bartram) 54. Advanced Section I: 1 King Samuel (M Thomson) 58; 2 Rothesay (R Mitton) 58; 3 Gumley (A Nicholson) 60. Advanced Section J: 1 Kibah Medallion (P O'Brien) 55; 2 Last of the Incas (R Chaddock) 62; 3 Away with the Fairies (M Stibbe) 62.