Eventing extraordinaire King talks Burghley

With the start of Burghley Horse Trials only a day away, champion eventer Mary King spoke of her hopefuls for the CCI 4* to Telegraph reporter Will Greenwood while giving him his first riding lesson.

King soon had the reporter cantering around her school and popping over a small fence in between talking of her hopes for top horses Apache Sauce and King's Temptress to help her claim the title for the first time since 1996. The cream of her rides, Imperial Cavalier is to miss the event to save energy for the upcoming World Equestrian Games held in Kentucky later this month.

King's hopefuls will join another 80 or so horses competing at Burghley this year from 13 nations. Other notable names competing include defending champion Oliver Townend, five-times winner Mark Todd, William Fox-Pitt and Paul Tapner.

Burghley is one of two 4* events held in England and is the last major event before the World Equestrian Games start.