Eventing: Tait plays to the gallery

Blyth Tait proved he had lost none of his flair when holding on to his lead on cross-country day in front of more than 30,000 spectators at the Toyota Bramham International Three Day Event, writes Mary Gordon Watson. The New Zealander is preparing to defend his world championship title at the Hague in August and the bold nine-year-old Aspyring looks a useful addition to his potential rides there. 'He's very strong and enthusiastic, almost too confident, but stupidly so,' Tait said. He has a decisive advantage over Jean-Marc Favereau on Rancho. Ian Stark, on Kilcoran, and Charlotte Bathe, on Madame Butterfly, stand third and sixth.