Great Britain Dealt a Blow as King’s Horse Picks up Injury

Two-time Olympic silver medallist Mary King has been dealt a major blow ahead of the European Championships later this month with the news her ride Imperial Cavalier has had to withdraw.

The horse will not be risked with the 2010 World Equestrian Games and the London 2012 Olympics both on the horizon, hampering Great Britain’s chance of defending their European eventing title in Fontainebleau.

The news came at the Burghley Horse Trials where four of the six members of the Great Britain team were in action, before King’s withdrawal.

William Fox-Pitt, bidding for a record sixth title at Burghley, made a solid if unspectacular start in the dressage discipline, picking up 55.7 penalties.

The 40-year-old is currently one point behind overall HSBC Classics leader, and GB team-mate, Oliver Townend, with Burghley the penultimate leg of the five-round series.

Nicola Wilson is the other member of the Great Britain team in action at Burghley, while Tina Cook and Lucy Wiegersma are the two not involved.

Former individual world eventing champion Zara Phillips begins her campaign at Burghley on Friday aboard Glenbuck as Toytown continues to recover from the injury that ruled Phillips out of the Beijing Olympics.