![Kai Rüder maintains pole position going into Sunday's Cross Country](https://www.equisport.pt/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/dbrave.jpg)
Kai Rüder has maintained his pole position at the end of the dressage phase at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials. The German rider and his stallion, Le Prince Des Bois, hold a 5.2-penalty lead over Ruth Edge and Two Thyme.
Ruth may well be thanking her lucky stars for an early draw tomorrow as rain has been pelting down on Badminton park since lunchtime today.
But Ruth said: “The ground has been so well prepared that it will take more rain. Even so, I’m glad to be going early on.”
Kai Ruder revealed that he won’t be playing safe because of the weather; he has his sights very much focused on taking home the Mitsubishi Motors trophy despite this being his first attempt.
“My horse is strong so he shouldn’t be affected by the rain. My plan at the moment is to take all the straight routes,” he said.
Le Prince Des Bois is certainly bred in the purple for the job. He is by Yarlands Summersong, the ride of Marie Christine Duroy, who was eighth here in 1985.
Tina Cook and Miners Frolic lay poised in third on a score of 41.7. Tina blamed herself for a few lapses in concentration which prevented her from breaking the 40-barrier.
She said: “To get in the 30s I have to press all the right buttons and I missed a beat with the first flying change, which I’m cross with myself about.”
Tina thinks that tomorrow’s proceedings could be dictated by the weather.
She said: “If it keeps raining like it is now then I think that the ground in front of some of the narrow fences could get quite cut up”. Tina earmarked the Quarry (fences 3 to 6) as a potential problem area on the course. “I’ve never jumped a fence like the log at the bottom of the quarry before. It’s a real old-fashioned test and I don’t know how it will ride.”
The first combination, Dan Jocelyn and Special Attorney are due out on course at 11am.