(upbeat music) Goodness me listeners. To find a barely cross country day is done. And what a cross country day. It was, all of the thrills, all of the thrills. Rosie, how are you feeling? I always feel like I've been for a washing machine at the end of cross country. Yeah, it's a brilliant analogy because it is, although it's only like 11 to four or whatever, a lot of action happens in that time in your emotions. You know, peak, they crash, you're sent every which way. And yeah, I definitely feel that. I feel tired and I've, you know, not ridden round burly today. But I think that when you live those emotions, it does make you a bit tired at the end of the day. Let's talk about the cross country. First of all, I think it was pretty much, everybody keeps talking about, you know, tough cross country and something other. There were plenty of problems everywhere. I think the Rolex corner is probably a few more problems there than people anticipated. But I would just start with the leaf picks, which everybody had everything to say about over the last couple of days. And actually, Derek DeGrancia is a magician because that jumped beautifully. It really, really did. And Dee did say beforehand that he was chatting to some riders and I was next to him and he's like, is it one of those fences that's got all this chat and then actually is going to ride really well? And it was, and I'm really happy it was one of those fences and people who wanted to take the long route they did, they picked their options wisely. But yeah, it was a fence that jumped really nicely. Those Rolex corners, as you see, caused a few more issues than anticipated. But of course, kind of jumping clear rate of 49%. About average, isn't it? About, I mean, five-star generally around 50%, barely coming into this weekend, 52%. You know, it's very much there or thereabouts. And actually, we ended up with four inside the time, I think, in the end. Yeah, the prediction, I guess, on numbers, previously three percent was going to be two, but we knew we had quite a fast feel. And so therefore, you know, four came through it. I think that's a real thing. Yeah, both of you and I said three and four. We both said four, I think, of which, I mean, naming my four got my four very wrong. However, we said four and got four a bit wrong, to be quite honest. None of us said that Harry and me were going to have one, then loan two. Let's talk about our leader overnight, Ross Kanter, Lordship's Grafalo. I'm not going to, like, I was really nervous for that question. At lunchtime, this is, Dee was trying to write posts in preparation. You're like, yeah. And I was like, don't write the posts. He was like, I'm just, it's going to happen. I'm just getting prepared. And I was like, don't do it. He did it, and it's all fine. But actually, it felt like, is a lot had already gone out. I think we hadn't gone to plan. And so, you know, one was done. Professor's leader was out, but she was still in the lead with Grafalo. We had to wait right until the end of the day. The pressure was on to deliver, because it was kind of hers to lose. Yes, yeah, I totally get that. And she's never been in the, she never finished in the top 10 here at Burley before. But you're right, there was that anticipation, because also there was quite a few good riders a little bit earlier on, that didn't have the day we would have expected. Every time I went, I thought, right, I had down to the mix zone to interview X, interview Y, I felt like I was a curse, I went down, then everybody just kept falling off. - A lot of time, listen, it's Rosie was like, I don't think I should go down there anymore. I was going to go down there for Gemma, but I think maybe I'll just say the media center. - Honestly, I was like, every time I get down, there's only four of us off. So, there was that unknown quantity in a lot of riders that maybe we thought were gonna cruise around didn't. So, yeah, there was nerves and anticipation right the way to the end of the day. In terms of the round that she delivered, I mean, Lordship's Grappler, we all know he's brilliant. He still reminds me, it's kind of like an overgrown pony in the nicest, awful way. He's just got this lovely demeanor about him. And he just looks so lovely to my friends. You know, there's some horses that you have a bit of a conversation about what you're going to do, and they might have one idea, and they might have another. He is so good, and Raw's and him have such a partnership. Somebody referred to me as looking a bit like it was a phone call track. And that kind of takes away from actually how big burly is, but they've made it look far easier than anybody else. And I did get a bit nervous about a couple of seconds over the time at one point when she was coming towards home. I thought she was cutting it quite close, but I didn't have worried. - Yeah, she did make it look very easy indeed. And I know that she was a little bit apprehensive to the very last fence because owl holes in his younger days were a fence that they had issues at when they stepped up to intermediate for the first time. I think we were six years old. He had an issue or she fell off at an owl hole because he'd like ducked or something. So I think she was a little apprehensive because the last fence has a roof on it, but she cruised around and it was a pleasure to watch. - Let's talk about a few of the other big moments. - Well, I feel like actually, we'll talk about Tim Price Vitale. Tim was one of the last to go and actually that all's delivered. I think one of the nicest cross-country ants I've seen him deliver in his career, 3.2 time. He, so I mean, he halved his time penalties from this time last year. He's still within a fence of rot and graphite. So he's 25.2, 25.5 big upon. That all was, I know, you know, we'll talk about a show jumping. Can he hold on, podium finish, et cetera, et cetera. There's some other very good jump around, but actually his five-star record, 50 cross-country is really, really impressive. He's so impressive. He came in as the most reliable cross-country jumper in the field. He certainly proved that today. Tim said that he felt better than he did last year. I think that was, you know, part of the reason they were a bit quicker. But again, another lovely round. We're very lucky at the end of the day that actually we had quite a few beautiful rounds to watch and it was a very enjoyable afternoon. - It was drama in the morning and, like, I think the first 10, about three, got home and I think there were probably a few nervous people. One man who has just been, I mean, he's been riding out with skin for the last 18 months, two years. But today, he looked in his absolute element. How we need is just on fire. I mean, superstition went out as first out the start box and put in the great round, 10 point eight time, you know, could have been a bit quicker. Great round. The two horses that he bought afterwards, we at no point did we say, as Dee has just come sit down, Dee. We're on Harry Meade. - We're starting for the part. - I'll pass you to Dee. - We could have started this part about 40 minutes ago. Rosie said, "What time are you doing the part?" And I said, "We're doing this part now." She said, "No, we better away from the call." And I said, "You know what, you're right." Nicole is such a crucial element of this. We should wear it from the call. However, I see the same level of need has nothing placed, don't we? - I thought you were following us out. I think you were killing over my baby. - Yes, as I taught you were under order. I taught you are insides. I was waiting for you to come out. - No, I was literally listening. I left him in the media center, cuddling and making friends with friends. And I thought he was just following us out. And Rosie, we'll just sit down and start 'cause Dee will be out in the back. - No, it's okay, no, I'm already joking. Oh, what are we on? What are we on? - Harry Meade. - We were all talking about who was going to take the time. But in reality, none of us had Harry Meade on the list, left alone with two horses. Cavalier, Crystal, and more below. - That's 'cause he's a William Fox put style, just like having his speed rate and one slow, until he just learns a lot. - So, like he's made. - That animal of law and that's a bit of an unleashing and unveiling, I think. You know what? That is a, now that's under it. And now we know that it can do that. - And it was quick, it was the content of that. - Yeah, sure, it was 11 or three. - At one point, he was coming through Lion Bridge. - He was coming through Lion Bridge, and I was like, has he got a minute left on the clock? And somebody said, yeah, it's definitely Harry. He's definitely coming through Lion Bridge. And I was like, but he's got a minute on the clock. - He was absolutely flying, and I mean, he makes another one who just makes it look effortless in his way of riding. He doesn't interfere, he just cracks on with the job. Next thing you know, Harry's got two inside the time. - Can I just say, I'm so excited to see who Harry is in Sam's bedtime story. - Oh my gosh, yes, I didn't even look at that. - I think the bedtime story hasn't featured Harry media. - No, I think so. - Happy Harry, handsome Harry. - Ooh, yes. - I was trying to think of a handy Harry, or a good hairdo Harry. - Yeah. - And he always comes off and he sort of smiles, actually, he runs his hands through his hair, and he's just like, oh, of course, one more. - He's a bit of a Prince Charming Arthur, yes, of course. - Yes, Prince Charming. - Yes, that's it. - Prince Charming Harry. - He's just got, he's just very cool with me. He is riding best and never. And actually, I saw his wife, Rosie, earlier, and gave her a big hug, and she looked at me, she's like, take a breath. And I thought, do you know what? Actually, three horses, at five star, juggling owner demands, different team members, you know, getting them all here is a huge achievement. And the pressure that those teams must all be under is pretty big as well. - Yeah. - You know, so you've got to take a moment to appreciate that, and actually, he's got two sat at home as well. He's got two sat at home. He's also got, so Ros on 22.0, doesn't have a fence in hand of Tim Price, Vitaly, but she does have a fence in hand of Harry Meade, animal ball owner who are in third at the moment. She then actually has two fences in hand of fourth place as things stand. So animal ball owner jumped clear on the final day at Brahman earlier this year to win Brahman. Vitaly, we'll talk about it a little bit. The other horse, though, that Cavalier Christ, I think, he said that she's been clearing five plastics internationals. She moved up a couple of years ago. Her last year, beg your pardon, to take a podium finish with a brilliant go around the show jumping. So Harry's got two in the top five. Cavalier Christel as well will jump. I mean, I don't know how he's gonna play this, actually, 'cause he's got three in the top 15. - He's a bad man. - But my guess is that he will jump all in the afternoon session, and he will jump the first one, then he'll jump the second one off, like six horses later, seven horses later, and then he'll jump the last one in order. My guess is, watch this place. - Who else stood out for you? - For me, it's gotta be Alex Bragg, Quindy, for the first rider clear inside the time. It was a phenomenal round. We saw the pair have success at Badminton this year, and they are just running a crest of the wave. - 'Cause Harry need not gone inside the time. - He hadn't, no, 'cause he had superstition to start with. And Harry hadn't had the other two. Harry was second inside the time. Alex was the first one clear inside the time. - You're right, you're so right. - Yeah, that's, it was just a phenomenal round. - He came in, didn't he? Off the back of Austin O'Connor Colorado Blue. - Yes. - He didn't come inside the time. - No. - So surprised by it. - Yeah. - Quindy even though, she is getting better and better. You know, she, in each of her five star starts improved. I think the first one, she didn't complete. The second one, she was top 15. That was Badminton, no burly this time last year. Then, the Badminton this year, she was third, and then she's off for a very good top 10 finish hit. You know, she jumps up to one 40. I love Alex Brown. I mean, I just think the Brown family are one of the nicest families in the sport, but to, you know, he came to the sport slightly later than the loss of people, it's a real family affair. And this man, I saw a picture of them on Instagram and it was Alex kissing her nose or something and it hadn't come. Something like with Quindyva with her one true love or something, and I just thought, "Do you know what, that's really, really lovely?" And it is all about partnership. Let's hear, actually, Alex's thoughts on that because Rosie, I know you asked him about it after his round. - We all know that she's a great jumping bear. She's been super genuine. She's really taken to the sport now. It's taken time to build that confidence, but honestly, when you leave that stopwatch, she's just like a demon. She grows horns and there is nothing. I mean, nothing that's gonna stop her. And I'm just the lucky person to be sat on board steering. You know, you have to work with that much scope. You know, she can almost jump herself into trouble, so you have to take a breath and not let the adrenaline take over too much. And remember, those drops after the fences are punishing if you come in too big. You imagine she lands so far out, but yeah. I mean, she just kept galloping. I think, you know, at the end, I think she was kind of like, "Can you stop kicking her? I'm going as fast as I can." I'm like, "No, come on, Babies, you can do it. You can do it." But a real team effort, and yeah, I think... Oh, okay, I just sit on the telly. I just don't got enough words to describe how pleased and how thrilled I am with the horse and how happy I am for all of the team and the owners that stick by you when the last few days, which are not so great. - You say you've been on a bit of a cross-country journey with her, could you talk us through what journey's been like and how you've come out so positively and so well? - So when I first got Deaver, she wouldn't go up the other end of the arena. She wouldn't go near a filler. She was so suspicious about everything. So it took us 18 months, nearly two years before she even went to an event to do cross-country. And then I'd have to counter around really slowly. So she had time to take in everything. All of the little questions change of like the ground, et cetera, et cetera. And they literally can't do anything. And if I ask you to go any faster, she'll just say, "No, I'm not not thinking time. Sorry, not happening." And then I got into the journey with her. And I suppose about a year in, we were doing an office farm because and she obviously thought, "Actually, I really like this." She took the bridle and went off like a bullet. I mean, it shocked me, surprised me. And suddenly from just sitting quite at a sit-up and like, "Oh, don't move it." And then, you know, and after that, didn't really look back, just all the different questions you just need to give her time. And you need to trust that sometimes more leg means more pressure to her, not necessarily go. So you've got to be able to temper the pressure in the time and you put, and I know when she needs leg and doesn't need leg. So she'd be a unique bride. I think someone else might struggle to get on her and get used to her for a bit and likewise. But that's been the journey. And now, I mean, we keep working on the discipline with my coaches in the show. The show-jumping is helping so much with the lines, the accuracy, the straightness. Jeremy Scott is a stickler for it, but he's amazing. And now it's just showing in that, all those technical combinations with the change of all the ground. Everybody's being thrown about, doesn't quite know how the horse is going to wreck. This is like riding the jump off, you see? I'm used to it, and I think that's really helped us. So, yeah, everything is sort of a whole combined journey that brings you to be able to deliver a performance like that and what a performance you did. - Dee, Alex Bragg, I know you- - I love them. - You love them. Somebody actually had a team Bragg jacket on earlier and Dee was trying to liberate said team Bragg jacket. I think ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow's jumping, he's 10th over nights. I think he would really fancy his chance that we're climbed up to the top five. - There's a wind big unknown, which is like what type of show-jumping track do we get here? You know, he got a decent enough rise, we got a decent enough rise at Badminton. I think we might have even been 12th or 13th and rose all the way to the podium. It's what I'm thinking all the way to number three. But I think he might have raised in 10 places with that clear round for Quindiva to podium. Now, I'm thinking if we get a track that if we get a tough track that will allow the top riders, I'm thinking here Quindiva, maybe Cavalier Crystal, who we've also seen clear at Burleigh and Bramham, Grafalo, if we get a tough five star track, show-jumping track, I think we see a big Alex Bragg rise. If we get a medium one, I think we get a medium rise. I think it's fairly legitimate to think that they've got top six, top five contender there with a clear round. But equally, I said to Sam Watson, only this morning on Crystal Cavalier, who has an almost identical record to Quindiva, very, very similar. Now, Quindiva has Badminton Amberly clears under record, whereas Cavalier is a Cavalier Crystal lad, so I keep getting that mixed up. It's Cavalier Crystal. - What do you call it? - Crystal Cavalier. - No, Cavalier Crystal. - I can't get it out my head. I started this last year, and I'm doing it. - Now you've just put it in all of our heads. - Yeah, I can. I actually, I cannot shift it. Here's Martin, here's Martin coming across. Try and get my department. - Martin will kill us if we, Martin is the event director. - He's absolutely delighted, Martin Johnson. I'd say he's absolutely delighted today. - Do you want me to try? - I know, I'm getting here, look. We're just telling him that we've got, just telling him to sit down or something important happening. He's just coming across. - He's a very busy man. - He looks important. - Yeah, he actually, but to be honest. - He is important. - He is like. - He is like. - 'Cause he used to be our friend. Do you know what I mean? - He used to be our friend. - No, but you know, he used to be like one of us just knocking around. Now he's like the event director of Burley. Here he is. Martin. - All right. - Man, there was an FLE meeting here. Do you want to just sit down for a second? - Well, welcome, welcome to the operating and cementing podcast. - Yeah. - How on set? Martin. - We're just trying to trick you into getting you out of heart. - We know you love the media. How do you feel after today? - I mean, it's been a really good day. Derek's course was, I thought, very clever. We had a busy spell in the middle where I thought, you know, it's always, when you're at five store, you're always sort of a little bit on the line with some of the lines and et cetera, but Derek did a really good job. I think the result was a good one. It was a good day for the sport. So yeah, we're very happy. - I want to try to actually about the leaf bit because all of the riders, right, every rider I've spoken to this week has been going, the leaf bit is enormous. Those fences are so big. Can't we just take a bit of brush off? And Derek held firm and said, "No." I believe like they're right. And he proved today to me, I think, what makes him that outstanding outstanding course designer that sets him apart, he sees things in a way that people like me and you and everybody else don't see because he knew the horses would read that and actually proved everybody that he was right today. - Yeah, and I think that's why he is the best at what he does. I mean, we're obviously biased in that thought process, but Derek is very knowledgeable. He's obviously ridden to a high level himself. So he understands and gets horses. And I think what he put out, he's very conscientious and about the detail of things. And he rightly believed in what he'd set and it actually proved to be honest, it was very uneventful at the leaf bit mostly. - William Foxbeard said I was wrong, Derek was right, because I didn't, I thought they needed to be changed and they didn't, he got it absolutely dead on. - Jennifer, I said to me, she said, "Oh, that like, I'm going to struggle." And she did. (laughing) - That makes an eye thing. I think she was in the minority today. - I wish she was very much in the minority. Actually, you're totally right. Martin, can I ask, 'cause I know they touched on this on one of the inside burly preview pods. You're walking around today, the walkie talkie is going nonstop. For people listening who have been watching the live stream or who have been here on site today, can you give us a little bit of insight what it feels like for you in terms of the types of tasks and the types of jobs and what it feels like, how much sport do you actually get to consume yourself? And how do you, you don't really enjoy it anymore, I'm sure as a fan in a way that maybe you did once, like how busy is it? - Well, actually, for me, I see all of the sport because the way the team's set up here, Sophie Outwood, who's the assistant director, she very much deals with the operational side and the delivery of that. And then I sort of focus on based myself in event control on what's going on on that side of the show, if you like. So, I actually see most of it. So, yeah, I mean, it's quite stressful at times when you get those busy periods of riders falling off, I think two or three rider falls in quick succession statements. Yeah, so it works quite well. So, Sophie kind of concentrates on that side and obviously we meet up through the day and check in and see how everything's going. But that's kind of how we sort of set ourselves up. - We touched upon it in the build up. This is your third year as event director and everything, you're seeing new stamps of different things. You've always been a fan of saying, don't change, don't fix what isn't broken. Only improve things. Seeing it all come together now, we've only got one day left. I personally think that this is barely bigger and better than we've ever seen it before. I feel like all of those small little tweaks that perhaps wouldn't necessarily, on their own, be a massive thing, build up to a much, much more slick, a much, much more kind of high end. Burley, are you happy with how it's turned out? Is it your vision? - Well, we've got one more day to go. So, we'll tell you after tomorrow. But yeah, I mean, we try, as you say, we've tried to sort of do any sort of changes or modifications in the right way. Burley's been a successful event for a lot of years, so there is a danger of breaking something that isn't broken. But I think in terms of what we do for the onsite audience and the offsite audience, we're always trying to sort of ensure that they've got the right content and they see value for money in their ticket, whether they're a ticket purchaser or on Burley TV. And I think, you know, I haven't watched it back yet, but Burley TV. - I was brilliant, if I may say so. - Burley TV is, you know, hopefully we've worked with a new graphics package this year. We've tried a couple of things with sector times. - And that worked, I was with Gemma. We were watching down on the inside stage, myself and Gemma and Nicole at that point, when actually, you know, she wasn't yet on the stage, but we were watching Gemma first. And then we saw the purple come up, she was actually fastest through a couple of sections. And then we were able to talk to her about that as we reviewed that when Gemma came to the stage. Again, these little tweaks that you're talking about, Nicole, to be able to bring a rider from the cross country to then sit and talk to the fans about and still continue to watch the sport. So we had that big screen show on the sport, Gemma who's just finished and fans are sitting there in good weather, having a drink, having their lunch and still being able to listen to a five star rider talk through what they're seeing on screen. They're small tweaks, what it creates, as you say, Nicole, a high end event to sport and experience. - It just feels bigger and better. And I have to say, when you're on a site, I've caught myself, I suppose, a couple of times and Nick Luck said to me earlier that you get the like course preview and stuff playing out. So those burly TV packages that's been played out on the big screen and I was chatting to Nick earlier and all of a sudden, he went, I wish this guy had shot up and I was like, what do you mean? He's like, it's me. And he's like, I can't escape myself, I'm everywhere. But it just adds to the whole onsite experience, people at home experience. Anyway, based on Martin, what we're trying to say is good job. And we've totally commandeered you. Thank you very much. Good job, well done. I hope tomorrow goes well, but from our perspective, brilliant cross country. - Thanks, Nicole, thanks to him. - Paul Martin, he was literally walking past on his way to probably what was his 500 million job today. And then it would be roving in. - You know, a part of both the podcast and the event. I would say like, what makes the tour diaries work, Nicole? And I hope listeners agree. And we're so open to feedback on this. And we appreciate the, we really appreciate the feedback, whether you're texting us. I mean, obviously, if you don't like it, don't, don't call me, just send us it in a message if it's kind of the other feedback don't put it in the comments section, but what we get it, what we're trying to do with this. And again, it's part of the inside series. Is that how we'd call them? Like when we talk to an event, before an event? Like the tour diaries bit, Nicole, it's out and dropped it. The tour diaries bit for me is something really special because it's not always possible to watch everything. But to be here, sitting outside the media center for Martin to walk past, for Martin to want to sit down and to talk about that. Okay, it's not going to be like, it's, you're obviously always going to get there. It's a different level of insight, isn't it? It's quite an emotional attachment. It's a different take, yeah. I think the diaries in particular, hopefully listeners, it very much feels like you're here with us. They're a little bit more casual, they're a little bit more relaxed, that you're part of the watching experience. But actually going behind the scenes at an event, it's just, so much goes on. And quite often, there's changes or tweaks. And actually it's good to understand why, and it's good to understand the bigger picture. And I think we all need to get behind the bigger picture in the sport. So look, huge credit to Burleigh, and it's been a brilliant, brilliant day. Let's go Rosie back to the sport itself, because in terms of others, notable in the top 10, I would just do a big old shout out, "Gasbab, my exude, Zaragoza." We did say, if he goes round, he goes round fast, he did. And there is a brilliant reel on the Burleigh Instagram. Georgie, would he does all the Burleigh Instagram, and I think well worth having a look at some of those reels, because they're very, very good. But his expression cross country was brilliant. He made that happen. It wasn't always the prettiest, plus country riding, doesn't it have to be? That is potentially one of the biggest French performances we will see here at Burleigh. - It was amazing, and I think he's come out with grit and determination and almost a point to grew because he didn't go to Paris. And I'd be delighted if it all goes well for you tomorrow, because I just know how much it means for him and what a rocker of a cross country round. - In terms of Jeremy Stevens' chilly nights, inside the top 10, she did a brilliant, brilliant round, very, very good cross country. I think he lost a shoe, so she just lost a little bit of time right towards the end of her track. Monica Spencer did a good round with artists, dropped a few places just with a couple of time penalties. Tom Jackson, Nicholas Tudor, and obviously Alex Bragg rounding out the top 10. Alice Kasberg had a great spin on top spin. Should we talk about some of the disappointments today? Because actually Emily King retired, Rosicanta Islot DHI retired, Caroline Powell retired, with Queen Acre Special Cavalier. - It wasn't a totally smooth sailing day. - Five star. Five star, Nicole. And without the disappointments, you don't get the great joy. - Cooley Rosalindt as well, all of a talent. - Cooley Rosalind was a surprise. For people listening to this, they understand the sport. They're probably listening to the podcast a long time. We go on about this stuff all the time, but it's a 50% clear round rate at five star. We were just sitting on an insight stage there with Paul Tapner for 45 minutes. Kind of filling time, Nicole, to be honest. Myself and Rosie, while we were waiting for the writers to come down to that stage, which they do after they finish the press conference. And we ended up in a conversation around our concept of 50%. So today's theory rate was 49%. That means like, honestly, 50% of the people. So what is it, 32 of the writers today actually end up pretty disappointed. Or not really with, not necessarily. That's not quite true because I remember, was it Emma Hisslop Web and a few doors early on where they did have a 20. And actually, it still remained, it remained still a great round and a great day for them and it was still a huge celebration coming over the line. But without the disappointment, Emily King, a good example of Ali Diaz. That's coming off the back of a top five, that badminton, a top five that I can, that actually top five in every international this year. But without moments like that, you don't guess the great joy at the finish of haven't gotten round clear. - There's nothing, I think you see it when you, one of my favorite things to do, in fact, actually at a five star, particularly barely, is to watch the main greener or to watch the last room and start the finished support team to the emotion. The emotion that was on display is always, never fails to make me cry, to be quite honest. And if you didn't cry when Jesse Campbell came through the finished listeners, then you're a stronger person than I am because we were down at the inside station. There were a lot of people in tears in the crowd. - There was a lot of silence, actually. It was a moment when, it was kind of a reflective moment, like it was obviously very sad and I don't want to all of us to be crying again, to be honest, but it was a hugely, yeah, it was a hugely emotional moment in the context of the day, which is obviously a really emotional cross country day. Anyway, as is always the case of five star, don't forget last year we sat here with Sam Watson. Even Sam had a glass of champagne last year and Sam just didn't do that. But it's the adrenaline of what it does to your emotions and compared to Thursday Friday, which is a much slower, heavier day on the heavier or onward. I mean, maybe the right word, but you're not allowed to say it. It doesn't invoke the same emotion dressage. And that's because it's not really goes wrong. The scoring goes up and down, but tends to be between a range of 19.9 and whatever it may be, 42. Don't worry, it is what it is. It's just a score. Tomorrow's going to be a little bit similar. There'll obviously be a winner and there'll be a couple of big rises and there'll be lots of tears and lots of joy. But actually, it was a moment today for me to call and I was taking notes over the course of the day of little things that I wanted to remember by the time I got to the end of the day and we were doing this podcast. This morning, myself and Rosie went into the rider's tent to watch the opening rounds of the day. And we've talked about it previously. It's an amazing place to be able to be in the rider's tent. You're surrounded by the riders, the owners and the teams around them. And it's pitch black in there, it's done. - It's really not a terribly glamorous place, listeners. - No, no, it's the grass, it's grass, it's plastic chairs. It's a wall of screens and it's pitch black and all the riders sitting there and that's a place where all the emotion happens. As the day got started, I sat in there, superstition was first to go with Harry. And the first note I took was that the room was totally silent. Totally silent. So what we had was everybody just totally tuned in to every fence, not even a conversation between anyone there. And then there was this little ripple of applause, by the way, Rosie, me and Harry's kids are sitting on the ground at the very front watching this. And everybody knows that by the way, and all the rhetoric. There's this little ripple of applause as he went through the leaf bit. And as he passed some of the different tests. And actually as he went through the leaf bit, it was the first time there was a little bit of clapping. And then everyone started talking. And what they were talking about was his journey through the leaf bit. And suddenly there was this moment where there was this moment that went up all around. And then we saw that happening for a few other riders. Obviously we had the eyes a lot round next and then we had a pipper. And pipper had that big save moment. - The big save moment was bloody brilliant. - So you had all that ripple and then about 10 minutes in, I was sitting there and who walked in quietly because everybody, don't forget it's facing the screens. And it's pitch black and Harry made walked in to the middle of the tent, walk into try and find a seat. And he's got his boy in his arms. And suddenly, spontaneously, the entire tent breaks out into a huge chair and clap. And he looked around and he's standing there in that kind of almost iconic Harry White. - Still with perfect hair. - Or is it the perfect hair and the perfect smile? But he's got his boy in his arms. He's in all the White. He's just finished the first of what would become a really special day. He's surrounded by riders, by owners, by his colleagues and by all of the grooms and the team that are in there at that moment. And everybody's just looking at him and clapping. No cheering, just clapping and clapping and clapping. And you're just sitting there in that moment, you think, this is the burly days. This is the five star cross country days. This is for you to do it. You know, Harry doesn't win four stars. - There's one, Brandon. - Yeah, sorry. - He doesn't win four short. - He doesn't win four short. - You mean like he's not London 52. - To be fair, actually, before Brahman, the only other four star long, I think I'm right in saying that he's one in his career with Stragon four star long back in 2021 superstition. - I've seen a message come in there in the equity group, which is Sam Watson saying, can you count Harry Meade five stars and then get ready to say he wins on his X attempt. Now, obviously, we've got a huge favorite in Grafalo. What we're trying to prep behind the scenes now is how do you get the Harry Meade story in there, obviously, we've got that early podium previously. We've obviously got the incredible feet of getting two horses inside the time. It's only been done a handful of times. They're called Mary King back in 2010 did it. - She's the only other British person. - The only other person. - The others are all Kiwis, basically. - All Kiwis apart from-- - And a boy. - And a little boy. - He did it in 2005, I think. It goes all the way through history, though. Tink's passenger did it back in 1987. Same year as Toddy did it. - Andrew Nicholson's done it a few times. - Nick Wilson did it in that 2013 run where he was killing the sport. You know, he was, I mean, killing the sport. - Killing, you know what he was. So actually, listen, if you haven't watched the, like, millennial group, oh my god, William Cross, who's a matter of fact, the Bernie team, but would be quite a traditional gentleman, somehow got persuaded by the Bernie social media team. To do, like, some millennial slang around Burleigh, and he's going around when his mustard yellow trousers, getting in that owner of a defender and stuff, going, like, that was slay. And, like, I've just seen the Popo, honestly. It's quite frankly one of the funniest things I think I've seen at Burleigh. Anyway, go and check it out if you want to. But, I think I've lost totally where we were. I got distracted by William Cross. - Oh, yeah, and the immortal. - Oh, yeah, totally. - He's got a big day tomorrow, how do you meet? He's been knocking on the door of a five-star win. Can he win it? I mean, let's be honest, Grafalo, something's got to go wrong, because I think Grafalo's got a fence in hand, but I mean, so Grafalo would have to have two down, but Ross did have two down in the mulem. I would say we potentially could see a record finishing score at Burleigh. Previous record, 25.4. That was Lucinda Frederick's Headley Britannia, all the way back in 2006. Just quickly, Dee, before we go on to who wins tomorrow. Can I ask you about the 1% club? - Yeah. - Because there's a couple of horses here, and it is literally the 1% club. - Yeah, horses that are riders that have finished under dressage score at Burleigh. So, it is 10 riders from 1,131 starts coming in today. So, what can we add to that? We can add another 60-something rounds, and we're going to add, oh sorry, it's FOD, so we still have to wait until tomorrow before we add to it. So, we've got more starters. Now, we've got three riders. Four is the four riders now who could potentially join that club this year, but it definitely, there's one person in the 1% club, Nicole, that actually can become the 1 club. I was trying to get this out to make a look on the... (laughing) - I was on the, on whatever, the Burleigh TV, wash up there. - Today, Burleigh. - After, like, the after shot, right? - Okay, yeah. - And like Nick said, horses to watch tomorrow, but I had just been talking in my head to myself about that 1% club. So, then he said, horses to watch tomorrow, but like, kind of a politician. I was like, make your own statement. (laughing) If you don't know the answer to the question, it used to be in Yesminster, for any of those old nerds who might enjoy Jim Hacker and Yesminster days, I know this is a, this is very niche for the slay club. - You've totally lost me, I've died. - Yeah, yeah, Rosie, Rosie's looking away, and Nicole's looking away, but there used to be this program, written by, oh God, I used to listen to it on an audio book, Nicole, when I was growing up, that's the kind of, what kind of childhood I had. You used to listen to Yes Minister. - You didn't have a TV growing up, did you? - No, so I used to listen to... - Yes, and to all Cess, Cess, story books, all the time, and one of them was Love British Comedy. They used to listen to a lot of Dad's Army, like I can see Nicole is now checking the time. (laughing) That better not be because... - I thought I was being supple, but apparently not listening. - Nicole, I'm talking about Cessettes in the early 90s, like... - Okay, where are we going with it? - Okay, there was things like Stepto and Son. There was Dad's Army. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - There was, out of a somewhere. - Take us back to the one second club. - No, listen to me. (laughing) - I'm here now, right? - Raisies dying, listen, she's got the editing. - Don't edit this, this is good stuff. So, in that, anyway, in Yes, Minseter, there's a moment where his private secretary, a fellow called Sir Humphrey Applebee, Nicole, and again, look, there's a portion of our audience who will know who Sir Humphrey Applebee is. He said to him, "How do you deal with questions "that you don't know the answer?" And the Prime Minister said, "Oh, you know, "Minseter, Jima Hacker." He said, "Well, I answered the question." He said, "He don't answer the question "if you don't know the answer, "or if you don't like the question." You simply say, "That's not the question." And then you make a statement of your own. So anyway, Nick said to me, "Who would I fight to ask tomorrow?" And I said, "Nick, I fight to ask tomorrow." Absolutely, I'm gonna come to that, but what I wanna tell you now first is the moon person club, right? And then I also had it in my head, this stat, which is, okay, there's the 1% club, it's the 10 riders who've made the time from, you know, 1,100 start. - And they've finished on their dress on score. - Finished on their dress on score. Very, very, very hard thing to do. David Dole did it last year with Galileo Neemwood. There scored him, of course, who we can add to that. But nobody has ever done it twice. And if you go back to 2006, which is when we didn't have roads and tracks up early and you can make it at least comparative, that stack goes back to 2006, 1,100 stackers since 2006. - Yeah. - I was just thinking who it's gonna be. It's gonna be Harry Meade, Midnight Dazzler. - Midnight Dazzler from 1997, who's the very first person to ever do it. - 1997. - 1997. - That was when Harry had Midnight Dazzler. - Yeah. - That's it, really? - You see, stay with me, I'm still in this stay, okay? - I think I could do it three times. - Look, we'll get a hold on for a minute, like, I know, you know, but this is what happened with Nick. So I had all this in my head. So he was obviously asking me the one I said, "I need to make a state with my own." So I started into this. - 1% clip Nick, that's where you need to be vlogged. (laughs) - So I told him about 1% of which he knows, obviously, 'cause we have done our briefings and that kind of thing. So he was not in the way, but then I got this even better idea in my head and I could see Nick's face, kind of like the face that you're giving me right now. - That's talking. - And then, do you know what happens then, listeners? Do you avoid eye contact in Arizona? (laughs) - I don't, don't, don't look at them, don't, I can see what they're doing. They're doing that wrap-up thing where they're, they get their finger out and they wave it forward in a circular motion, which means hurry up, hurry up. So anyway, Nick's looking at me and I've already done the 1% clip. And I say, but Nick, I've ever about that 1% clip. Have you ever heard of the 1 Club? There's only one person who could ever do it twice and then I lost into mid-night Dazzler in 1997. He's like, "Why?" Tim breaks his hand to beside me, right? Tim plays Nick look and they're like, "Right, what is this far?" And I'm like, "It's called a 1 Club." And Harry means not in the 1% though, only one fella. The first fella to do it, mid-night Dazzler in 1997, he's got two shots at tomorrow. He might add one, he might add actually two. But how hard is it to get, to get a horse, to finish on your dress-out score up early, for Harry, who as we said, doesn't win four-star shorts, doesn't do sub-20 dress-out. It's a great thing for five-star, to have five-star riders getting the acclaim, getting the stories, getting the recognition of what it takes. Tell you what happened then. I know I'm still talking, and I can see the- - Rosie is literally, I think she's had this story before. - No, she doesn't even know what it is, right? What happened then? Right, TV wraps up, Nick tanks me, and then everyone sprints away in case I keep talking. (laughing) I turned around to Harry, who's behind me. - I bet he loves this. - And I said, "Harry." And his little boys there, I said, "Harry, you're part of the 1% club already, with my dazzler." I was like, "But you know, to get two horses inside the time today, and this is obviously a different sap, two horses inside the time." I said, "Harry, it's an unbelievable achievement. Unbelievable what you've done. You know that only a handful of riders have ever done that in barely history, and only one other British rider's ever done it, actually his little boy said to me, "Wasn't my grandpa Richard?" (laughing) And I was like, "He's got a load of other records, but it wasn't Richard Meade. It was Mary King." You don't heard that's Emily's dad. Anyway, he did. - Emily's mum. - Emily's mum. Yeah, sorry, Emily's mum. Mary, I had some, sorry. It's the end of the day, right? Then I said, "The other fellow who's done it four or five times is standing beside you." Andrew Nichols. Andrew Nicholson comes over and shakes Harry's hand. And I said, "Here, the two of you should get a picture together." Now, asking Andrew Nichols before a picture is like Roy Keene, like he's not-- - Yeah, I once asked him for a picture and I was like, "I think he was fine. He took a picture, but I was a bit like, "Ooh!" - Yeah, he's just not really, you know, he's not really into that kind of stuff. So I said, "You two should get a picture." In that moment, when I just had Andrew saying, "Yeah, to get in the picture with Harry," 'cause in my head, I'm thinking, "This is a special moment." Harry Meade's done it and Andrew Nicholson's done it. And they're in this moment. They'll never get this back, just off the back for Christmas. Just in that moment, Dickie Way got comes over, grabs Harry and said, "You have to go for this interview and everything. I think it's a picture." - Huh, he's just pointing off the line. - So that was awkward for me, 'cause after making Andrew Nicholson send a picture-- - Then you're stood just you and Andrew. - Andrew literally just walked off, right? - I thought you were going to say like Mark Todd walked over and he got the three of them. - The buzz is going on. Everyone's chatting, there's horses getting washed off. There's a motion, rosy meat is there. Look, dog, buzz, buzz, buzz, some griffits there because he used to ride that horse. - Ride the horse, yeah. - And then you don't have to. Harry Meade came back over to me and said, "Would you mind going back to Andrew and trying to get that picture?" - Oh! - So you see, even Harry Meade-- - Did you get the picture? - Yeah, of course. - Ah! - So I got the picture, look. It's right there, but you know what? You know what, especially about these things. Even their rider-- - I love that. - Harry Meade came back and said, "Would you go back and get that picture?" - That's a pretty cool photo, you see, yeah. - Oh. - On the day, in the moment, like these sporting things that are happening. - Yeah, that's cool. - That was where it gets the answer, sorry. - So I'm actually going to release that as an audiobook. That's sorry. That's going to be a bit of an audiobook, yeah. And we're going to-- That's what we did for the Christmas market. It's just the one out of here. - First, no number. Yeah, no. - That's my theory, Vantel. - Right. - OK, too. Tomorrow. Just quickly. Make it simple. Who wins? - Graffalo. Graffalo, enjoy them. Enjoy them. This is like a horse every one badminton-- or one burly tree times on the bounce. We've seen burly specialists. We've seen badminton specialists. There's no doubt for me. Not a single doubt in my mind. That five star is so different to every other level at a sport. We've gone through a year of Paris and Olympic buzz. We get great kind of coverage at things like Aachen. We talk endlessly about these dress-as-horses and what they're going to do. But for two, three, four days in the year, we get badminton's, we get Kentucky's, we get Burles, and we get Marlon's. In particular, those four, I would say. But Marlon, last year, being the first time, I can say that realistically, in terms of that cross-country, joining the party, you get something very special. And I think Graffalo is the star of five star for a long time to come. Tomorrow will be the first time that she's been inside the top 10 in Burley. Tomorrow, she'll win her first burly. And it'll be the first money. Yeah, I think, for me, as I've said, all along, enjoy Graffalo at this burly, because how many other Burleys will he get the opportunity to do with championships? You know, with championships is my argument. He's normally going to be on championship duty. The championships this year were early, so he's been able to turn round. Whereas, actually, in future years, unless Wells gets another horse, and at the moment, his little DHI is not reliable enough to be a championship horse, despite being a five-star winner, you know, Graffalo is going to be the championship ride. So just enjoy him here at Burley. This could be his Burley Rosie. I love how he looks like. We were like, "Just quickly then, who wins?" Graffalo. Can I say, though, that was very good, and we appreciate your stories, D. And that was quick for D, because down in the inside zone, they were like, "So, D, here's your podium." And he went, "Well, let's start in fifth place." (laughing) And we all sat there, like, podium D, but in the top place. (laughing) But I am going to agree. I think Graffalo is going to win, and it is going to be a monumentous cheer tomorrow. Yeah, I can't wait for it. Do you know what? You know, there's some winners of a five-star that just Piggy's had it, Piff has had it, that are just so popular. I think Ross would be that popular. Tiggly, Burley's Hello Fool. You know, she's been hoping to show jumping here. It's been, eventually, not actually been to that many times. It just feels local special. She's a Lincoln show girl, albeit in North Lincoln show. This is South Lincoln show. I think she would be a monumentally popular winner. And I have to just do a shout-out, because she is absolutely super mum, because in the press conference tonight, Ziggy was actually running rings around me in time in the media center. I think she did a Venti Nations press conference down at the mix zone at the end of cross country. And she is mum, like, she is still very much being mum. You know, it's not an easy juggle. You know, not an easy juggle, and fair play to her. Right, on that note, the story of when Andrew met Harry, probably out on November the 1st. Get your cassette orders in now. We'll be back tomorrow with more on the diaries. I hope you've enjoyed it, listeners. A reel behind the scenes feel a little bit rough on the edges, possibly in places. But a really true representation of what it is like at the end of a cross country day here at Vanderbiltian. As you look at the magnificent setting, and even just, I've been talking about it quite a lot last year, tree watch. If you come to Burley, look at the trees, because they're really quite incredible. - We like the trees. - We like the trees. But there's just a lot of history on this, please. Dee's given me so many funny looks. - He's only looking 'cause he's not looked at the trees. - Yeah, he doesn't want the course, does he? - No, every day. - No, exactly. - Enjoy the trees tonight. - You and me, Rosie, we've got this. Right, on that note, listeners, we'll be back tomorrow. Enjoy the final day of spending Burley.
