ANDREW Nicholson will go into tomorrow’s cross-country phase leading the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials on board Deborah Sellar’s Nereo.

Despite some strong challenges from a legion of dressage protagonists yesterday, no one managed to top the Marlborough-based New Zealander’s score of 37.8 set on Thursday.

“I’m a little bit surprised to still be in the lead but Nereo felt very smart in there, so I knew that if I was to be overtaken, they wouldn’t be very far in front,” said Andrew.

William Fox-Pitt, riding Christopher and Lisa Stone’s stallion Chilli Morning, sit handily in second place after the dressage on 39.

Two blundered flying changes marred an otherwise excellent test, but Fox-Pitt was still pleased with the performance.

“It wasn’t his best test today. Maybe a bit of tension crept in, and at this level, you can’t afford three mistakes,” he said.

Oliver Townend squeezed every possible mark out of Paul Ridgeon’s grand old campaigner, Armada, to score the third and final sub-40 mark – 39.6 and occupy third spot at this stage.

Highworth’s Paul Tapner is in seventh place after scoring 41.9 on Indian Mill, while Badgerstown-based Sir Mark Todd, on Leonidas II, lies in joint 15th place on 45.8.

South African rider Alexander Peternell, who is based at Hinton near Chippenham, is 77th after scoring 59.8 on board Asih.

Tomorrow’s cross-country action starts at 11.30am.

FOLLOW MATTHEW EDWARDS' LIVE BLOG FROM THE BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS AT SWINDONADVERTISER.CO.UK/SPORT, GAZETTEANDHERALD.CO.UK/SPORT AND WILTSHIRETIMES.CO.UK/SPORT TOMORROW AND SUNDAY