Ros Canter pulled off the best first-phase CCI5* score of her career to date to take an early lead at Defender Burghley today (Thursday 5 September).The British rider, who was a part of the gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics, scored 19.9 on Izilot DHI (pictured above), who is owned by Alex Moody.Since Luhmhlen [CCI5*, in June] Ive been practising having Izilot in self-carriage, said Ros about the horse with whom she won the French five-star, Pau, last year.Ive tended to play safe with him in the past because he can be sharp and spooky, and now I want to show off his ability and movement and let him dance.Ros will also campaign Lordships Graffalo her Paris medallist at Burghley and they are one of the favourites to take the title. The duo will do their dressage test tomorrow.Id like to think he wouldnt be a million miles off [the lead] but, because he now has a lot of experience, time management in the atmosphere is key with him, said Ros.Maverick flies into secondPippa Funnell and MCS Maverick hold the runner-up positionNIKON D5 f/4 1/1000s 200mm ISO450Pippa Funnell currently lies second on MCS Maverick with a dressage score of 28.3. This horse wasa new ride for Pippa last year, when they won a three-star title at Bramham.The 11-year-old bay gelding is, says Pippa, one of the best horses she has had on the flat at home. However, he takes a bit of managing at a competition where there is a big atmosphere, such as at Burghley.You really have to do the breathing for him in the arena, but it is all going in the right direction, she said.Pippa is just 0.3 penalties ahead of Tom Jackson aboard Capels Hollow Drift, runners up here in 2022 and riding the FEI CCI5* dressage test C for the first time.It felt a bit different and wasnt as symmetrical as some I have been used to, said Tom. I think Capels Hollow Drifts performance was as good as in other tests and I just hope we have done enough to be in the mix.Swiss rider Felix Vogg, who is competing here for the first time, interrupts a British stranglehold, lying fourth overnight with Cartania.Just 0.1 of a penalty behind him is another Brit, Max Warburton (riding Deerpairc Revelry), who is also making his Burghley debut.New Zealands Tim Price, the 2018 Burghley champion, is sixth after day one on Viscount Viktor.Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift lie third after day oneNIKON D5 f/4 1/1000s 330mm ISO1000Britains Harry Meade currently lies seventh and eighth with the mare Cavalier Crystal who finished third here last year and Superstition respectively.Fridays dressageAnother 33 horse and rider combinations will do their dressage tests tomorrow (Friday 6 September). Emily King and Valmy Biats, who finished fourth at Badminton this year, will be first into the main arena at 9.30am BST.Top names and key contenders to look out for tomorrow include dual Olympic team gold medallist and world number one Tom McEwen (on DHI Cooliser), reigning Badminton winners Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier, Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent, Frances Nicolas Touzaint (Absolut Gold HDC) and Japans Ryuzo Kitajima (Feroza Nieuwmoed).Find out more and buy tickets to Defender Burghley or watch at home via Burghley TV.Further readingHow can I improve my dressage score?What are the Scales of Training in dressage?Five gears every good cross-country horse needsConquer the cross-country startbox with Emily KingRos Canters grid exercise to slow a strong or keen jumperThe post Ros Canter excels to take Burghley lead on sharp and spooky mount appeared first on Your Horse.