Fox-Pitt Insists his Duty Lies with Country Ahead of Burghley Horse Trials

Having been selected for the European Championships in Fontainebleau later this month, Fox-Pitt will not risk Idalgo and Macchiato at Burghley.

If successful for a second consecutive year this weekend, Fox-Pitt would be the first person ever to land six Burghley titles since the inception of the competition in 1961.

But with HSBC FEI Classics leader Oliver Townend taking two strong rides, Carousel Quest and Flint Curtis, to Burghley – Fox-Pitt knows he faces an almighty challenge to top the podium.

Burghley is the penultimate four-star event in the HSBC FEI Classics series and despite arriving this weekend in second in the overall standings following a second at Badminton and a sixth at Lexington – Fox-Pitt admits Townend will be tough to catch.

“With the horses I am riding up at Burghley I have got to be realistic and say that I would be happy if I made it into the top ten,” said Fox-Pitt.

“I have been really lucky up there in the past to get back-to-back wins but I am sure my luck will run out this year.

“The HSBC Classics is in the back of my mind again, having won it last year but I think I will have to be realistic enough to say that Oliver Townend has got it in the bag really.

“I would love to be able to stay in the prize money because that would represent a good year for me.

“But what are the chances of me winning that for a second year in a row?

“I would have to say that Oli is looking good to win that now but you never know with eventing.”

Fox-Pitt revealed he has been forced to put his HSBC FEI Classics charge on ice for the time being as he prioritises the European Championships later this month.

And after taking the title in 2008 from France’s Nicolas Touzaint and Germany’s Frank Ostholt – Fox-Pitt is planning to just enjoy the final two four-star events, Burghley and Les Etoiles de Pau, in September and October.

“In terms of the horses I am going to put out at the last two events, I couldn’t put out my top horse,” said Fox-Pitt. “You have got a duty to ride your best horse when you are representing your country at the European Championships.

“Obviously last year I had three horses selected for the Olympics and so unless I got injured I was never going to miss out on going there.

“This season was a lot different and although at the start of the season I obviously wanted to make the European Championships, I had no idea whether I would make it or not.

“Everything is going fine for me at the moment.  When I came into this year I wasn’t sure how my horses were going to get on and I have been very lucky that they have come on really well.

“Eventing is very much one of those things where you rely on luck sometimes and you need a bit of sometimes and I am sure I have had my fair share at Burghley.

“It is a fantastic event I always enjoy going up there because they always do a great job up there.”

The HSBC FEI Classics unites the top end of the international eventing circuit – namely the five four-star competitions. The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is the penultimate event in the HSBC FEI Classics.