SIR MARK Todd leads the Wiltshire contingent at Badminton Horse Trials as Michael Jung remains on course the secure the Rolex Grand Slam.

The New Zealand rider went clear and within the time on the cross country stage as he lifted himself and his horse, Leonidas II, up to fourth spot from 17th after the dressage stage.

However, little could be done to halt the charge of German Jung as he bids to be only the second rider ever to secure the Grand Slam.

Jung and his horse, La Biosthetique Sam FBW, went clear and within the time on day three of the four-day competition to give himself a nine point advantage, the equivalent of more than two fences, going into the show jumping stage.

Badgerstown-based Todd is 10.4 penalty points behind Jung, with German Andreas Ostholt and Brit Gemma Tattersall in between.

Meanwhile, Marlborough-based Jock Paget lies in fifth place, just 0.4 penalty points behind his compatriot Todd.

Fellow Marlborough and Kiwi rider Jonelle Price is on the brink of the top ten as her clear round on Classic Moet put her in 11th place.

“She was phenomenal,” said Price, with just one fence between second place and 12th.

“She is so reliable and as much as you have to work at dressage, she comes out today and makes me look good.

“I really tried to not use her too much today, obviously Burghley was a bit of a different story because nobody had made the time but here I was pretty much coasting from the third minute.

“I tried to keep a bit in reserve for tomorrow and I have been working quite a bit at the show jumping stage so we’ll see.”

Meanwhile, it was a less fortunate day for her husband Tim Price as his ended his round at the difficult Vicarage Vee, a jump that caught out many a rider throughout the day, as Ringwood Skyboy failed to keep his feet after the ditch.

Dauntsey’s Beanie Sturgis went clear to climb forty places and finish day three in 19th place, while Highworth-based Paul Tapner was two places further back in 21st after picking up 6.8 time penalties.

“She was awesome for just the second time at this level,” said Tapner.

“She really rose to the challenge at Burghley but she just got tired at the end there and she gave me the same feeling here after the Vicarage ditch.

“I thought I was alright on time because I was a good 10 seconds up on my clock by then and I came out of there and I was only 10 seconds down but she just got more tired and I couldn’t make up the time again.

“I know this is a star horse and only the second time at this level so there are plenty of years left.”

Lambourn-based Laura Collett and Grand Manoeuvre lie in 26th place going into the show jumping stage, the seventh placed Brit with the Olympics in Rio on the horizon.

Marlborough-based Jesse Campbell slipped down 20 places as he finished day three in 30th place on Kaapachino in his first outing at Badminton.