(upbeat music) - Okay listeners, it is, I was gonna say day two. It's technically day one. Yesterday was day zero. It is Thursday at the Fender Burley and we have got a podcast diary for you. Taking you behind the scenes. Rosie is with me. We've actually ventured inside the media center Rosie for the show because today it has been very windy and quite frankly, very cold. - It's been way colder than expected. I did pack the mold for weathers because the weather kept changing every time I looked but I'm very grateful to be inside with a cup of tea right now to warm my hands up. - Right, let's talk dress arch. First of all, because second time centerline this morning was the combination that we expected to go into the lead. They had the best six RA in the field. Three, five star starts and they've been around sort of the 24 to 25 territory. Ros counter is a lot DHI. Came in and absolutely nailed it. It was reminiscent of, can you remember Badminton, a couple of years ago, Oliver Towning, Kilner Fred and Evo came in to the sub 20 on a really quiet Thursday morning. But this was even quieter if it could be and she came in and the horse just did the most beautiful test. 19.9, it's Rosie's best ever five star test of her career so far. And in fact, it's actually second best Burley test we've ever seen. The other, of course, being Tim Price, Batali 18.7 will come on to him when we start to talk about tomorrow is a lot DHI radio. I think he enjoyed his Thursday morning slot but I also feel like he's just getting better and better. - He's a really, really exciting horse because I know Ros says there's still more in the tank which is-- - God help everybody else. - I know, so exciting. But it was beautiful to watch and it was nice to have the early wake up call in the sense of bang. Here's a fantastic test from the start. This is how we need to go on. Yeah, it was a very nice morning. I must say watching that test, very pleasant test. - She is almost eight marks clear. We're eight and a half marks clear. I should say, a Pippafundal MCS Maverick in second. So at the moment, she's got a really commanding lead. One thing that stands out for me, we were talking to Ros and her post-test interview and this horse, she said he's always been a bit tricky in his brain. And actually, since Lemulan, she's really sort of started to trust him and made a conscious effort to throw the ball back in his court slightly. And hopefully, that is going to be the making of him. Watch this space for the rest of the competition. Ros, of course, has Lord Chipps Grafalo Walter tomorrow. Big test from her. Can anybody catch her? We'll talk about that in a second. I think there's only one that could possibly do it. I mean, I think it'd be going some to say that Lord Chipps Grafalo even could get close. But we'll come on to that, as I say. For now, let's go and hear what Ros had to say after her test. (air whooshing) That was your personal best dressage test at the five-star level on any horse. What is it about him that makes him so special in this first phase? Oh, he's just got natural ability. He really has. He's the most elastic horse I've ever ridden. You only have to kind of clench your tummy muscles and tighten your backside and he can kind of almost be a dresser to us. So it's an amazing feeling. The challenges I have with him are his spookiness, but also his neck. He's not, it's not a bit classical in shape. And sometimes when it feels beautiful, it looks too tight in the neck. So that's my challenges to be able to get the elasticity and everything that I love the feeling of without losing the profile in the neck. And that's what I've been working really hard with since liminal. And actually you mentioned his spookiness. You look quite calm in there because it's quite a big atmosphere even early on. Yeah, I'm pretty, yeah, I know. And he actually is a calm horse. So he just plain spooky. He's not actually hot-headed. He's very calm. He's actually classified by nature. He wants to be quiet. But yeah, he's just got a really sharp flight instinct. So if he does spook, it tends to be very clear for everyone to see. Today he had the odd peak, but nothing too violent. But yeah, that sometimes kind of cross-country, I just go way off my line very quickly and it's not like I can do about it. But yeah, if he's seen the fence, he's genuinely he's honest and he's brave. It's not that he doesn't want to do the job. It's just that his flight instinct is quite quick. Well, congratulations. Thank you. And actually, let's start. I'm just going to throw this in now, because you know we always love to get a special guest on the show. And Sarah Charny, who dreams for us canter, has been a firm listener favorite over the years. We've had her on for various different episodes. She's absolutely brilliant. She's real inspiration. She's a brilliant talker as well. And I actually sat down with Sarah after Isaac's test and we caught up on all things, barely 2024. And of course, Paris. So one of our favorite guests always on the show. Every time we can get her, we rope her in. Sarah Charny, green for us canter, and all round, basically. Superwoman. Sarah, first of all, how are you? It's been a little while. I'm absolutely brilliant. Thank you very much, Nicole. Yes, we're back from a quite a busy summer, one way or the other, and one thing and another. And ready for the lovely Burley. My favorite, then. Years local for you, isn't it? Yeah, well, it is local. I grew up coming to Burley Hall Street. Since I was four years old in one form or of another, watching and then volunteering and doing all sorts. So, yeah, it's my favorite event. I couldn't believe, actually, when I looked at the numbers that Ross has only been here four times before. Yeah, so back in the first time, was back in 2015 with All Star B. That was her first five star way back then. And then we've been back again with All Star B, and then we've Pankos Crown Jewel twice. It's amazing because this year, she's got two of the big favorites in the field. I'm actually going to dive straight on him, because this is going in. At the Thursday diary, this morning, is locked to H.I. Who we all know is capable of doing a brilliant test, absolutely laid it down. 19.9, second ever sub-20 we've seen at Burley. Just how good was that? Goosebumps. Did you get goosebumps? Yeah, goosebumps now. I'm getting goosebumps talking to you about it. Travis is doing a lot, but we share doing the work. So I do all the titivating, the plating, and Travis, we both got up early this morning, and Isaac's been lunged and worked, and lunged and worked, and bless him. Travis has done all that, bless his heart. So yeah, we've got them ready together, but yeah, wasn't it an amazing test? He's a tricky horse to manage, isn't he? What does he take down in the stables? Oh, he's a dodle in the stables. Okay. Absolutely a puppy on the string doing in the stables to get him ready and everything. He's just, you tie him up and he stands fault still. He's absolutely brilliant. What about getting him in the right headspace to go and produce a test and that? Well, that's the planning that Ros does meticulously, that we have exactly the timetable that she wants to set down to, you know, lunging him, working him, lunging him and working him, and then back to the stable for 10 minutes, a bit of titivational, away he goes. And he's been at five star now. I think this is his fourth five star. He obviously won Po at the back end of last year. He went to badminton at things to go to plant the moulin, obviously, in the top 10 finish, and then he's come to Burley. How's that system for the dressage changed at all? Not really, no. I mean, they're tweaking. He always gets lunged and he always gets ridden twice before an actual test. But I think Ros has tweaked how she rides him and planning, but I'm not totally privy to that. And obviously, Ian Woodhead and Roswork meticulously together in her lessons to get it absolutely spot on. And my goodness, didn't the two of them get it right today? They did. It was a, like you say, goosebumps. It was absolutely beautiful. And interestingly chatting to Ros afterwards, it interviewed everybody TV. And she said there's more in there. Like he can go better than that. And if you're doing a 19.9 and you've got more in the tank. I think he's still young, relatively young at this level. And I still think he will be able to sit more. And I think he'll be able to engage himself more and utilise even more of that power without Ros having to do everything for him. And hopefully that brain will keep ticking along and she can keep him on track. She said she was making a concerted effort to trust him a little bit more. You know, kind of throw the wall back in his horse, like you'd rather look after him too much. So watch this face, obviously big day on Saturday. And she was saying that, you know, even just going to the main arena from first three fences. It's so narrow and there'll be so many people. And I mean, hopefully he's one of the first hours on course. So fingers crossed, it won't be as busy. Or you look at it and say it could be busier because people haven't kind of dispersed yet. - Nobody cope with funny, isn't it? He cope with bookalow. And how tight is that with how the crowds are? But whether that will funnel him, whereas at Bovington, your big open space is where as he, when he got into the narrow areas where there were a lot of people, very suddenly, hopefully the funneling type of thing will make him go on. - It's a very good point to be fair. Okay, let's talk about Walter. Wonderful, Walter, Lordship's Grafalo. How is he? I know this morning you gave me a brilliant comparison. - Yeah, so when we went, we're going to the Olympics. Laura Collet asked what analogy or what animal would Walter be, if he obviously wasn't a horse. And Rossable, I don't know, I'll have to, so she asked Georgie Froe, who works for Ross, well, you know, what animal, oh, without a doubt he'd be donkey from Shrek because he's so annoying. - And you did it to me and you were like, honking me, go, what's that, what's that, what's this? Oh, flip, flip, flip, flip, like he's cute. - Are we nearly there, yeah? (laughs) You know, donkey to a tee, he's just in your face the whole time and it's Walter's world and you've got to behave with Walter. - Has he changed, you know, the last couple of years, has he become more like Walter's world, we all live in it? Has he become the big gun? - I think he's always, I think, and Ross has said he's untrainable on the flat. Well, yeah, I mean, he does drag you here, there and everywhere, but you know what? He's such a professional when Ross gets on him, he switches into this competitive mode and he's brilliant. - On the flats in terms of being handled on the ground. - Yeah, yeah, on the ground, he, you know, if he doesn't want to be tied up, then he pulls faces and he doesn't want to do this and he doesn't want to do that. And in the end, I've got a stallion chain to stop him yanking me about 'cause I don't want to put a chiffney in all the time. But he will yank you about, he could pull you, if he wanted to, he could just go. But with the stallion chain, I just, you know, like a dog choke troll, just give him a gentle no, you're not going that way and he just stops and, you know, getting him ready, plating him, I have to leave an hour, whereas Isaac, I can do it in 20 minutes, because he stands still, Walter gets to rects and at the end of the plat, you're just getting to the end of the part and he shakes his head or, and he'll start all over again. Doing his forelock, you've got to get him in the right mood to be able to get it when he's dopey and he's, and you can get it perfectly, but that's why his forelocks don't always look brilliant at trotters because he's such a pain. - But when Ross gets on it, don't you say he's the dream? - Oh, dream, yeah, I mean, the relationship the two of them have is something to behold and it, again, gives me goosey bumps just watching them together go round across country course. You know, badminton the other year was just unbelievable. Well, the Olympics were unbelievable. Well, we won't actually go there, but, you know... - Well, we might have known, I was going to say, I feel very lucky that we get to see him at Bernie this year because actually, Bernie always falls second after season. We hope he's gonna be on championship duties a lot in the coming years and therefore, Bernie is kind of not necessarily going to be one of his kind of big target events this year because the Olympics were early and he came out of them so well and they were a short cross country track, et cetera, et cetera. I feel really fortunate that we've been able to bring him here. - Yes, it was always in the back of Ross's and Michelle saws his own his mind about going to the Olympics and if he came out all right, then Bernie, why not? You know, he's still relatively young. He's still fit. He's still very, very, very growing in confidence and stature in his flatwork as well. More to come with that, definitely. - Oh, he said that with a twinkle in our eyes. - Yeah. - What do you know? How's he working? - He's working extremely well and I think Ross is just getting sort of the relationship even more, you know, there's still more to come in and Ross has said it in her interviews. There's still more to come out of this horse. - Let's talk about Paris for a second because your Olympic games, you went out in Tokyo and Ross was the reserve and you all kind of mucked in and a different experience with no spectators, et cetera. What was the Olympic experience like for you as a groom going out to... - For me to go to having been with Ross from the word go, getting a bit choked really here, to see if he'll feel a dream was amazing. - I was gonna say I love it when I make people cry about it. She felt quite bad, Sarah. - I don't, because it's just an emotional thing because she's always wanted to go to the Olympics. She's always wanted, I know the going to Tokyo was hard. I mean, I had an absolute blast at Tokyo. Don't get me wrong, I was professional and did the job. But to see her go to the Olympics and do, I mean, all right, we had that stupid penalties but her picking up that gold medal was just the bee's knees. - How much pressure were they all under? - A lot. - Because it had been a tough week for question sports and the Brits were hot, hot favorites for gold. Like they kind of had to go in and deliver. - Well, Ross is very meticulous in her planning of what she wants, how she wants to deal with things, how to deal with pressure. She's very much, it's a mind game when you get to that level. I think it's very much your mentality, your mental strengths, et cetera. And having the right people around you that don't react to, if you get a bit nervous, you don't react and I don't react. I mean, I've been Ross since she was a very young lady and seen her blossom and on what an honor it's been. And yeah, she was absolutely meticulous with her planning of how she wanted Walter, where he wanted to be, what he wanted to be in. And yeah, it was definitely Walter's world at the Olympics 'cause they made a special hole in the stable for him so he could get his head out. - Did they? - Yeah. - How does that work? 'Cause they didn't put some normally quite strict. - Well, I think the B.F. just, did you? - Just call him. - Because Walter doesn't like being behind a grilled stable door. He likes to be able to get his head out, which is obviously when we're stable at Bambington, that's what we requested because a lot of the internal stables have the sliding doors. And he just doesn't like it if he can't get his head out. And when I saw the photographs and they went in and saw the stables, I thought we won't keep him in there. He'll come over the top. So effectively, it was another door. They didn't damage it in any way, shape or form, but Andrew, the dresser, Faria, made a fantastic job. Just folded down the side of the actual indoor stables, put a pallet there and made him a little window. So we still had the door with a grill on it, but he could actually get his head out and he settled beautifully. - Happy as Larry? - Yeah. - What was Paris like as a venue? Is it a competition and a championship? - The venue was spectacular. I mean, it's very sadly, we as grooms don't get to see the palace of Versailles. When we drove in, we made a slight wrong turn. We ended up driving through the middle of Versailles. So we saw all the beautiful-- - That's quite a good turn, Sarah. - Well, it's quite good, actually. It's very easily in the big glory. But we see all the beautiful houses and see, but we wouldn't have seen that if we'd come in from the other way at all, because you were that far out of Versailles and through the gates. It was quite a long way from where the lorries were parked to the stables, about a kilometer. And you were outside the actual security area. So every time you went in, everything had to go through the scanners. You had to go through the scanners. Every time you came out, obviously you came out, no problem, but everything had to go through the scanners going into that. So yeah, your timings had to be right. And then it was quite a long walk from our stables down to the main arenas, but couldn't have said, made a good job of all the main arenas and the facilities there. And the grooms were well looked after. The grooms hotel was absolutely beautiful. We made the decision that we were going to sleep in our lorries just for security sake and everything else. And it was a bit of a muddy path to get to the grooms accommodation as well. But yeah, they'd made a super job of it. - French crowds, they looked like an absolute blast. I mean, the noise, even through the television, I was insane. - The noises was absolutely unbelievable. You could hear it, we couldn't hear it from the stables, but if you graze the horses, you could actually hear the noise coming out from the sort of dressage when they clapped in the jeered. Not quite so noisy, but the grazing area that we had was fantastic. But the main thoroughfare for the people coming in was halfway down it. So the students had to warn us, you know, the crowds of, oh, it wasn't bothered. - Oh, hello, if you come to look at me. - Who should I have my autograph? - Yes. - Yes. - Are we there yet? - Yes. - Precisely. - The final prize-giving, the metal ceremony, because it feels like that iconic Olympic moment, you're in the main arena. - Your horse is your moment in my life. - Unbelievable. The atmosphere to be with Tilly and Adam and seeing those three ride in was absolutely incredible. The noise, the French noise, I mean, obviously the French did well, didn't they? - They did, yeah, they did, yeah. - In getting a medal. So as soon as that team came in, the noise was unbelievable. And it was just amazing to see all the GB flags that were there and stuff. And Ros did very kindly, her sisters were both there. And also Georgie and Travis, Ros did got them tickets to be able to come and watch the cross-country and the show jumping. So they were up in the stands, which was knowing they were up there as well, because they're as big as part of the team and Sonya as well at home. And obviously Heather and Barney were there as well. So it was just made for an amazing dream come true for everybody concerned. - Has it sunk in now a few weeks later? - Well, we're out of the news now. So I suppose, yes, it has sunk in, but Ros has just got the, she's had been carrying a medal around in this lovely, ziggy, lovely little shiny bag. So the medal has been in that. But she's just been given the box that the medals can go in. Oh, it's beautiful. It's absolutely stunning. I'm so happy for her, so, so happy for her. - You've been a massive part of Ros's career over the years, but I think for anybody that doesn't know, listen to this, you also work for time as well. You go to the big events with her and you know, in temple part of the TV, who's your annual leave to be able to do these shows? - Yes. - How'd an Earth do you juggle it all, Rosara? - Well, I haven't had some amazing experiences over the years. And now, as I said, we've got the fantastic team at home and Travis comes along as Travis is here this week. And he's come with me to major events since he was 16, 17-year-old. So I hope I've shown him the ropes and along the way. And now he's Rosie's right-hand man when she goes to training and things. So he knows a lot of the ins and outs that I don't have privy to, because I can't be there all the time. Fortunately, I've got a very, very good job where I can actually use my annual leave and we'd get flexy. But more the point, I was going to retire in April, so, and they didn't want me to retire. So I can actually take unpaid leave to carry on, 'cause I've got one day left to last me till next April. - Okay, so they, I thought you were going to retire from grooming for a second. - No. - Like Sarah, oh my God, it's a bombshell. But no, you retire from actual work. - Oh, fine. So they want you to stay. So basically you can name your terms. Give them the event calendar of the year and say, right, this one, this one, this one. - Not quite as easy as that. - But nearly, I mean, my boss has been very understanding and when I said I was going to the Olympics, he said, of course you must go to the Olympics and things like that. So yeah, I hope they'll be flexible, 'cause I like, for example, this week, when I'm here, I've got my phone and I'm looking at my emails. If people ring me, although my phone is diverted, if it's urgent, then I will ring them back and try and deal with things. So I try to be as flexible with them as they are with me. - It works both ways. - Yes, correct. - I'm a big fan of what works both ways, to be fair. - This week, Burley, obviously, two big, big, big hopes. How are you feeling about it? Obviously one test is done, one still to go, but how do you feel? - Well, I'm feeling lucky to be here, very privileged to be here, two amazing horses, two very, very different horses, one's a complete dancer and a cockpit on the floor, the other one's a complete donkey on the floor and they were absolutely magnificent when being ridden. I mean, I know Rosie's very happy with the way the both of them are going at the moment, but the relationship she has with Walter cross-country is just poetry, emotion personally, when you watch them go round. And both of them show jump, well, I just hope that Isaac puts his brave pants on and copes with the cross-country because it would be lovely for the owners, Alex and Nick Moody and Ros, who has worked so hard and tirelessly to get into Isaac's head and get the best out of him. - Watch this space. Are you a good watcher? - No. - No? Okay, that was a very definitive note. I haven't met many people that are a good watcher. - No, I mean, normally when Isaac's going round, Nick is holding my arm and breaking my arm and we're pacing outside and popping in and having a look and popping out and having a look. Travis is like, but he's just calmness. He'd just watch as calm and calm could be. He's absolutely brilliant. Calmness and... - Do you find watching Walter easier? - Yes. - Yes. Okay. - Yes. - Yes. - I even watched his show jumping. - Okay. - I watched his show jumping at the Olympics, Nicole. - How about that? - Okay, that's pretty. That's hardcore, should be fair. I mean, I imagine the nerves are pretty high by that. - Yeah, no, I did actually go on the whatever they call when you stand on the... - Kiss and cry. - That's it, the kiss and cry. - Yeah, yeah. I stood up there and watched it. I put my brave pants on. - There you go, well, look, I'm just going to throw it out there. Isaac's going to put his brave pants on on Saturday. So, come on, Sarah, brave pants on. - Brave pants on. - Brave pants on. You've got this. - Brave pants on. I've got this. - Yeah, but he can do it. You can do it. - Yeah. It's just habits forming, I think, because from a very long time ago, when I was grooming for Ross at Houghton Hall, and she was in the league with second tinker in the two-star, I didn't watch the show jumping, and she won. So the next time we went with "Pen Cross Count Jewel" when she was doing a two-star, I didn't watch the show jumping, and she won. - Okay, take the big hands off. Disappear off round the back. All right, thank you very much. - Ms. Herra, it has been a pleasure, as always. Our listeners love it when you're on the show, as do we. - Oh, just final question. Did you get a table tennis rematch with Karl Hester? - No, no, because we didn't have time. It was so in and out at Paris and the overlap, but he's promised me a rematch at some point. I watched this space, we'll await news on the winner. Sarah, thank you very much, best of luck this week. - No problem. - Do you know what, I actually got really quite emotional during that chat rosy, 'cause you could just see what it meant to them all, and when you're in that Olympic campaign, and you're in the pressure, actually, when you come out the other side, and it's all come together, it must be quite overwhelming. - Yeah, I think it is, 'cause you're right, when you're in the moment, you obviously know it's happening and everything, and it feels fantastic, but it's not until you can come out and reflect that you really go, "Wow, we did that." And that's when I think the dream really sinks in, and as she mentioned, now having the box for the medal, I think, you know, but it would display your medal properly as well, it then just goes, it just sinks in and then you really do understand what you've achieved, which is remarkable. - Really remarkable. - I actually, at lunchtime, went and I had a little sneaky try on of Carl Hester's bronze medal from the Olympics. - Listeners, they are way heavier than you think they're gonna be. You can knock somebody out with that thing. They are properly, properly full. Anyway, there's a little bit of the Eiffel Tower and everything else, it was bronze running gold, but still very full. I found girls accordingly. - Yeah, that is cool. - Right, Pippa Funnel, MCS Maverick in second, Pippa kept a lid on his excitement. She does a really good job in managing his brain, and actually, she rode him back to the stables, didn't want to get off and came back to her media commitments later. He just still, I know I said it on the previous, he just really reminds me of the Premier's Pride, Supreme Rock kind of era. He's a pretty special horse, I think, 'cause Pippa's kind of had her long-standing five-star campaigners, and particularly my hope that she's campaigned at this level for the last few years. And actually, he's really kind of earned his place now. - Yeah, no, it was a lovely test from her, and I just admire Pippa. Obviously, not just for being such a fantastic rider, it's still producing phenomenal tests, but she has a lot on her plate. She's got five-star horses. She was in a rush after her media duties, because she's got obviously all of her books. I think she's doing something with her book. - Tilly's ponytails? - Tilly ponytails. She's at the pony club. She obviously coaches so many people. She doesn't stop, and it's phenomenal to still have the focus of the five-star level whilst having all these other commitments. - Tom Jackson, Capell's hollow drift, a 28.6 sit-in third, and actually, it's pretty close to where this horse has scored in the past, I think he's called 28.9, when he was second here at Burley. He was 28 at Badminton year before this year, which was his five-star PB. Tom said in his interview, and it was very right. Same score, we got there in a different way. The first half of his test was just beautiful. I mean, it was well up there with low 20 score, and really thought that actually could translate into something hot on Ross's heels, but some mistakes in the flying changes in particular were very, very costly. He's ended up in third. I think he was pretty, you know, ruthless about it, and said, "Well, look, we'll just have to go and finish on it." Yeah, watch this face. Felix Vogue cuts Hania, 28.86 in fourth. Really, really nice test from them, and a big, big test for Switzerland. I have to say, Rosie, one of my hideouts of the day actually was Max Orberton and Dear Park Rivalry, who did an absolute stinker of a test. They, and stinker in a positive word should say, stonker, stonking test. It was just beautiful. It was, it was great, exactly. It's been a long week, and it was only Thursday. It was a stonking test, and he looks like a really, really smart horse with all the ingredients for the future, but Max, I would say, and we must get him on the podcast. I'm gonna have to twist his arm at some point. He's abated me thus far. He's normally quite a reserved chap. He's, you know, he wouldn't be a sort of big show of, you know, pride and everything else. And actually, he was so visibly pleased with that test. And he was just thrilled, and it was lovely to see a young rider at the beginning of their five-star journey, really. He only made his debut at Badminton this spring. Go out and thoroughly enjoy his first phase at Verli. Well, I think that's the beauty of five stars, is it brings out emotion in people that we don't normally see to be awfully emotional. And I feel like Oliver Townen is an example of that. You don't see him being particularly emotional, however, you know, last year when he won on Balamour class, you really did see a lot of emotion from Oliver. And Max was similar, as you say, after the test, how thrilled he looked, and quite rightly so, because 28.9, in first day of Verli, in an arena that had some atmosphere to it, he must be absolutely over the moon. And he won't be avoiding the podcast long if he's putting tests down like that. - Well, we won't let him, we'll track him down. I would just say, the only bone I've got to pick with Max Wilburton is he rather ruined decorating his five to follow. Because the top five are actually all within the six on the leaderboard at the end of day one, Tim Price by Count Victor rounding out the only other sub-30 scores who've had five sub-30s, one sub-20, essentially. Harry Mead in seventh and eighth. Cavalier Crystal, who of course has been on the podium here before in superstition, who was first in. And there was a very, very nervous weight, because I think even Rosie, his wife, I knew he was gonna wait till the last minute to come up. And that was the plan. But you're kind of looking at the collecting wing going, "Where is he?" - Yeah. - "Is he coming?" And he timed it to perfection. And the horse can get very, very hot, but he did a good job. And I think Rosie, you asked him about what it takes to get horses to this level. And it's a huge, huge commitment. You've obviously got three horses here, as we head. Two go into Maryland, if I'm right. What does it take to have five horses at the lifestyle level? 'Cause people just try and get one to the lifestyle level, but to have five right at the top end of the sport, what does that take as a team? - It's a massive effort and a long period of time. You know, some of these horses I've had since they were, "Yo, I'm broken through yours and four-year-olds, "and you know, some have joined us later." But it's a big, I think, over years of trying to produce them in the way that you're looking, not for short-term gain, but for their long-term confidence. Deep, happy sort of resilience in the way they go. And also soundness and fitness. And there's lots of things. I'm not very good at it, but I think probably hopefully producing happy horses to their fits and sound. And, you know, really in their elements at this level is one thing that our whole team is able to do. And it is a massive team effort. I'm always reluctant to count chickens before they hatch. And so, you know, we did have five fit sound and ready to come to Verli. The other two will just, they'll have a lighter few weeks now, just maintain fitness, not build fitness, just lightly school away. And then, you know, if everyone's happy and good, they'll go in a couple of months' time to another lifestyle. - Okay, other highlights for you, who stood out, Rosie? - It was really nice seeing Casels do his, this is his third five star star, but his first Verli star. - We're like the Ian Casels. - Oh, with his brotherly's Red Mills fan club. - Yeah. - We're who? - Honestly, it was, it was lovely to see him start. I don't think, I mean, he was happy with the score. He knows the water can produce a test a little bit better than that, but it's put them in a great position for cross-country where he feels that's where they're gonna excel 'cause it was interesting to talk to him afterwards. - He actually said that the two five stars he's done before, I think it's Poe and Lemulon, they don't actually suit the horse. And it was more for him to get his I in at the five star level and that Verli's gonna be, hopefully, more of the track for this horse. - I would say fair play to him. Oh, you know, he's gone, it abounds it the right way. He's gone to the five stars. He's got some mileage and he's coming here to Verli, now ready to be competitive. And I think this horse is one that can be fast in the cross-country and I think that's the phase that we particularly will be looking out for them on Saturday. Any other dressage test stand out for you, I think Colorado Blue, 33.9, I think Austin will be disappointed with that, if I'm honest. He would have loved to have been some Percy and he's got a little bit of ground to make up. He'll be hoping that it's a really tough day. - Francis Whittington actually was trending on a very, very good score in his test. Another one to slightly be caught out by those changes and I think two of those changes have a coefficient of two as well then is to hit them quite hard if they're not quite there. Yeah, and like I said, they were trending very, very low and I thought, oh, we're gonna have another one end up in the twenties, but just slipped away a little bit. - The thing with the changes as well is not only have two got a coefficient of two, they come up so quickly and each movement bleeds into the next one. So if you don't get your first one, they slip away from you pretty quickly and all of a sudden you've missed all four. So it is particularly brutal on the overall leaderboard. I would say Mia Farley did a good test with Phelps 33.7. Another to watch out for on Saturday, right, tomorrow. I'm just gonna put it out there. First in, we saw drama with Rose Kanter second down the center line this morning. We're gonna see it, I think tomorrow morning as well. Emily King, Valmie Bierz, we know she's capable of a good test. - Yeah. - She's been to big places like Harkham, Babminton, et cetera. What do you think she can produce tomorrow? - 25.2. - I mean, very specific. - Very very, very accurate. - I don't know why that number has just taken me to me. That's kind of come out the blue. However, they can perform around that mid twenties and in their six RAs, 27.2. However, I think that this year's really being a strong year for them, as I mentioned yesterday on the pod. I think they're gonna come out and mean business. And I'm really excited to see them. As I've said, D is the leader of the Emily King train. But yeah, I think they're gonna come out and do it for some reason, 25.2. I don't know where that's come from, but we'll go in with it. - Watch this space. You're in charge of clipping that, you can get it right. Cooley Rosalint and Oliver Townend actually have a six RA of 25.5. And that was actually went sub 20 last time out at Belgium. Now the four star test is different to the five star test, but sub 20. - Yeah, she's sniffed out. And I think they're certainly one of the ones that would challenge, you know, the very top end of the leadboarder. I think the big question is, you know, Ross has set the bar so high, there's very few horses in this field that can go sub 30, let alone sub 20. One horse we know who can do it, Tim Price, Batali, last in the dressage for Burley this year. 18.7 was his Burley record, which he set last year. And I actually have test was beautiful. It was a real highlight. His six RA is actually 24.9. Can he beat her? That's the big question, Rosie. - It's so hard for, we've gone from one of the first horses in the ring to the last horse in the ring. You know, it's gonna be tension all day. Yes, but he won't be his record. That's what I'm gonna say. - Oh, okay. - I don't think he's gonna be his record, but I think he'd beat Ross, and I think it's gonna be really, really tight. Yeah, I think he knows he's gonna have to ride a big test to be mixing with her. And I think that it's interesting to see from a rider's point of view, if seeing Rosie put down a test like that, they all go in and ride really bravely to try and gain every mark, and whether a mistake will fall then, or whether their ravenous will be rewarded, or whether they just kind of, probably just gonna stick to their plan. This is just my naivety coming in, but yeah, I think that they are gonna beat Ross, but I think it's gonna be marginal, marginal. - It's interesting actually, I was just looking at his last six internationals. His six RA does include that 18.7. He's done of those last six, four of them have been 27 points something. Then he's done a 21.3 and an 18.7, so it almost feels like those two, which admittedly both of them are a five star. Both of them are burly. That's where he gets the low, low numbers. Maybe he loves it this time of year, maybe he loves that arena. I was going to say, maybe it goes to say that actually he's gonna be more into the mid 20s where his six RA is. Then I saw that both of the good ones were a bit earlier, now I'm changing my mind. I'm actually gonna say he doesn't be Ross. I think he'll go into early 20s, 21, 22 territory, and we'll sit just behind her. Ross's other ride, Lordship's Graffalo. He's also got a very good six RA. I think his six RA is actually the best in the entire field, 23.0, that's better than his lot of the HI. I don't think he can go some 20 tomorrow, but I think he'll be close enough to be just on his lot's heels. - So do you think it's gonna be a Ross one too? - Yeah. - Nice. - Ross one too, Tim three. - Yeah, I think that's good. I'm gonna go Tim, Ross, Ross, that's what I'm gonna say. - Okay. - Yeah, okay. - But yeah, I agree. - Maybe it'll be Ross, Tim, Ross. Tim can be in like a Ross sandwich. - A Ross sandwich. (laughing) - But yeah, I think that definitely a low 20s test is on the card for this pair. Come out of Paris really well and ready to tackle this, I say. Okay, listeners, tomorrow day two of dressage. If you're here at Burley, make sure you say hi. If you see us, let us know who you would like to hear from, we've got a few little wish lists on the go. We're working on a couple of them, so we'll keep you updated on those. But for now, massive thank you for listening. Make sure you share the show, make sure you like to show followers. You know the drill listeners, come on. Drop us a comment on social media because the algorithm loves it, let's be honest. We will be back tomorrow with more insights from Defender Burley, but for now, let's go and enjoy today at Burley, the magazine program live on Burley TV with Nick Luck and Rosie Turner.
