CAPTAIN Mark Phillips, the organiser of the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire, which takes place from August 5-7, predicted a “vintage year” for the event at the unveiling of his cross-country course yesterday. The festival, which is in its fourth year at Gatcombe, includes all three British eventing championships — novice, intermediate and open.

In contrast to last year, when Britain’s leading riders were at the Athens Olympic Games, all four members of the team for the European Three-Day Event Championships at Blenheim in September are scheduled to compete. Two of these — William Fox-Pitt and Pippa Funnell — have won the British national title twice, while Jeanette Brakewell and Leslie Law are seeking a first win.

Phillips will have the added pleasure this year of watching his daughter, Zara, compete on Toy Town, the horse on which, after finishing runner-up at Luhmuhlen, Germany, last month, she has been selected to compete as one of the eight individual riders at Blenheim. Phillips intends to run all of the 12 riders selected for the European Championships in a block for the dressage and showjumping on Saturday and Sunday morning respectively.

The field is also boosted by leading foreign riders, including Andrew Hoy, of Australia, a triple Olympic team gold medal-winner, and Andrew Nicholson, of New Zealand, winner of the British Open in 2002.

The course Phillips has designed runs along its traditional route but contains significant new fences. The three-part question at the Hamptons International House (Fence 12) starts with an upright gate, followed by an imposing table under the arch of the house and ends with the narrowest of arrowhead fences. The Land-Rover at the Folly (Fence 20) is a test of accuracy, while the new complex at The Hunter Dewpond (Fences 25-27) puts a premium on courage and control.