WILLIAM FOX-PITT, who had predicted a weekend of “unknown quantity” at the Bramham International Horse Trials because of the inexperience of his three horses, finished first on Mr Dumbledore and second on Idalgo after a comprehensive rout of the opposition. Polly Stockton, on Sir Lancelot VI, finished third, nearly 15 points behind Idalgo.

Fox-Pitt, 36, who filled the first two places in 2003 and was runner-up last year, had established his supremacy on Mr Dumbledore in the dressage and held on to it with a flawless performance over Sue Benson’s upgraded crosscountry course on Saturday and a clear showjumping round yesterday.

Saturday was the first time that Fox-Pitt had been “seriously competitive” on the nine-year-old since finishing runner-up at Burgie last year, and he was delighted with the response. “I hadn’t known what to expect — he can be easily distracted — but I couldn’t have asked for more,” he said of the Australian-bred gelding.

Idalgo’s performance was no less satisfying. There had been general rejoicing in the French yard of Nicolas Touzaint when Fox-Pitt bought the 17.2-hands gelding two years ago. He found out why when Idalgo, now owned by George and Jayne Apter, became unruly after a long rest. “When he came into work, he was like a prizefighter with his sleeves rolled up ready to take on allcomers,” Fox-Pitt said.

Yesterday’s result, which came after a copybook cross-country performance and a clear showjumping display, is testimony to Fox-Pitt’s patient schooling and outstanding horsemanship. The only blemish on Fox-Pitt’s record over the weekend came on his third horse, Birthday Night, on which he finished 22nd after a mistake at the testing Fence 19c on the cross country — an error that Fox-Pitt admitted was “entirely my fault”.

Stockton’s third place continues her change of fortune after a debilitating 12 months during which she lost both Eye Spy and Word for Word, the two horses that she inherited from Mark Todd. Sir Lancelot’s good placing follows Stockton’s superb Badminton performance on her leading horse, Tangle Man, on which she has been selected for the European Championships at Blenheim in September.