Post-test reactions from this morning’s competitors. Ros Canter (Izilot DHI, 25.3): ‘I’m absolutely delighted with him. He’s been doing good work this week, but didn’t like a camera in the corner of the arena off the right rein, so had a spook – but now he comes back to me. He has less blood (thoroughbred) than Lordships Graffalo and won’t have seen a course like this  one, or as long as this one, so whilst I will set out competitively I will keep an open mind. Louise Harwood (Native Spirit, 35.5): ‘Disappointing. I didn’t have him enough in front of the leg. I didn’t rev him up enough. The cross-country looks testing enough.’ Kirsty Chabert (Opposition Heraldik Girl, 32.4 – pictured): ‘I’m a bit speechless, to be honest [she scored a personal best score]. Her withers go up quite steeep so she’s not a pony but she might be pushing 15.1hh if you put her on a stilt. Her length of stride, her power, her heart and her brain; she’s one of those freaks that we are blessed with.’ Arthur Marx (Church’Ile, FRA, 43): ‘I’m not really happy because we can make a lovely test, but not today. Maybe we will be better tomorrow – he is a master for me (across country).’ Jonelle Price (Grappa Nera, NZL, 34.4): ‘I’m happy with the mare, she’s hot but she stayed with me the whole way through. Her (flying) changes weren’t the best in there, so a lot of it I’m delighted but other parts I’ll be ruing. It’s a true track tomorrow, and it will be interesting to see how holding the ground will be, and also the heat which I think will hit the horses quite hard. It will be interesting to see how they come home.’ Richard Jones (Alfies Clover, 36.7): ‘I’m happy enough, it’s definitely not going to be a dressage show. I think the ground is going to be slow, so big day tomorrow.’ Luc Chateau (Viens du Mont, FRA, 43.1): ‘He’s not very calm, and was very forward – he’s better tomorrow for cross-country. It’s better weather than last year, but I think it will be hard to finish with big jumps at the end.’