ANDREW Nicholson leads the confirmed entries of a top-class field for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in May.

Marlborough-based Nicholson is among those not to have won Badminton in his 33 attempts.

Nicholson though looks to have a fantastic chance of glory this year with the choice of two rides from Nereio (third at Badminton in 2013) and Quimbo (Kentucky winner in 2013) and Avebury (first and second in Burghley).

Fellow Wiltshire riders joining Nicholson on the star-studded entry list for the event which takes place from May 7-11 include Andrew Hoy, Paul Tapner and Lucinda Fredericks.

Competitors from 14 other nations will take on the best of the British, with a major focus being selection for the World Equestrian Games, Normandie this summer.

Thirteen Australian horses and 14 New Zealanders are in the entry list, reflecting those countries’ riders being assessed for selection by performance in the northern hemisphere this spring.

As usual there is a strong Irish contingent, with 10 horses, eight each from France and the USA and seven from Sweden.

Eight former winners of the Mitsubishi Motors Trophy will line up again this time, headed by double Olympic Champion Sir Mark Todd from New Zealand, with Hoy, Paul and Fredericks from Australia, Mary King, Oliver Townend, Pippa Funnell and William Fox-Pitt from Great Britain.

British favourite Mary King will ride Imperial Cavalier, who has completed on four occasions and has been third and fourth in the past; William Fox-Pitt has a choice of four, including European bronze medallist Chilli Morning.

Places in the British team are up for grabs after the disappointing European Championships last year, so competition for the prize money and the best known Trophy in the world will be intense.