Falling flags, few clears inside the time and a serious five-star test summarises a fast-paced day of cross-country action at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials today (10 May).Dressage leaders Oliver Townend and the mare Cooley Rosalent remain out in front with just the final showjumping phase to go. They temporarily dropped down the order when they were given 15 faults for taking out the red flag* at the second corner out of Equidrys Huntsmans Close (26b), but they were removed after a review by the ground jury.I dont think there was an incident. My foot has taken the flag out but she definitely jumped the fence, said Oliver, who can afford to have one showjump down tomorrow and still win.Its becoming a bit difficult this flag situation because it makes it difficult for the public and us to follow. I hope it will be sorted out. I think its a shame that we have to do quite so much talking about flags. Its boring.Chilli Knight moves upThe same red flag also fell to the ground when passed by Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who now lie second overnight after pulling off the fastest round of the day that was11 seconds under the 11 minutes and 40 seconds optimum time.Walter jumped the jump but we just tipped it [the flag], said Ros. He just found the distance a little bit short and gave himself a touch more room. I was very confident [that the penalities would be removed].Gemma and Chilli Knight were fifth out of the startbox this morning and became the first to show that the time was achievable when they stopped the clock with one second to spare.They have moved up to third, ahead of Irelands Austin OConnor with Colorado Blue and Britains Harry Meade aboard Superstition, who finished bang on the optimum.Im not going to lie, that was cool, said Gemma after her round.The log ditch log[KBIS Chasm, fence 15abc] was keeping me awake last night, but I have no idea why as he made it feel like an exercise in the school.Harry Meades doubleHarry Meade also has Cavalier Crystal inside the top 10 this evening seventh after a speedy penalty-free round. Its all credit to the whole team, because we had two horses inside the time [at Rolex Kentucky CCI5*] two weeks ago and now two here. The common denominator is a great team at home, said Harry. Im very proud of the horses but Im also very proud of the guys who work so hard, week in week out, totally committed to the horses.Harry initially crossed the finish line on his second ride to discover that 15 penalties had been added for knocking out the white flag on the skinny in the water at Mars Lake (10c), but these were removed.Germanys Christoph Wahler riding DAccord FRH the sixth duo to get the time lie sixth overnight thanks to a speedy clear.Olivers first ride, his Tokyo team gold medal winner Ballaghmor Class, is in eighth, ahead of New Zealands Tim Price on Vitali and Irelands Ian Cassells, who rounds off the top 10 with Master Point.Out of the top 10Several names who appeared in the top 10 after dressage have dropped out of contention:Tom McEwen and JL DublinLying second after dressage, a tiring JL Dublin broke the frangible pins at the first corner in Huntsmans Close (26a) and incurred 11 penalties. The rider nursed the horse home with 10.8 time-faults to add and they now lie 16th overnight.Gemma Stevens and JalapenoGemma retired this mare, who was third after dressage, after a run-out at the second of two Agria Corners (7).Shes an old lady and if its not her day, its not her day. I can tell you something now, if she doesnt want to do something, shes not going to do it, said Gemma.She actually started brilliantly. I was spot on at the first one and she just said, no, not my day. I walked her home because theres always another day.Tom Woodward and Low Moor LuckyThe same corner was the undoing of this combination, and Tom retired after a run-out.The Badminton first timers made a big impression when they put themselves into the reckoning with a brilliant dressage test good enough for sixth overnight.Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De HaarThey pulled off a dressage personal best for seventh place overnight, despite Fiona realising just a week ago that she had learned the wrong test and she had been practising it since February.This pair have plenty to celebrate this evening after coming home clear today, and after declaring yesterday that she hates cross-country, Fiona wont be too worried about the 24 time-faults they picked up, which dropped them out of the top 25.Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJTime penalties (9.6) caused this duo to slip from eighth after dressage to 14th tonight. They are only 4.4 penalties outside of the top 10 and so a clear showjumping round tomorrow could see them climb back up.Image gallery: top 10Keep scrolling to see the overnight top 10 in action today around.1, Oliver Townend on Cooley RosalentNIKON Z 8 f/4 1/1250s 92mm ISO160Oliver has been hunting a second victory here for some time now. His win came back in 2009 on Flint Curtis, and since then he has been second three times and third once.Could Rosie be the mare to help him do it?Shes 11, which is young enough at the level, and shes a very sensitive mare. Shes pretty much the opposite of Ballaghmor Class, said Oliver.You have to mind her a little bit and shes shy with the people. As the course went on and the questions became stronger she started to warm into it and enjoy it. I thought by the time we jumped through the lake, okay, were away now.2, Ros Canter on Lordships GraffaloHes an extraordinary horse. Im not even the fastest rider in the world but hes got such acceleration right to the end. Im a lucky girl to have him, said Ros. I broke him in as a three-year-old and Ive enjoyed riding him from the start. He genuinely loves it.At my final minute marker I thought maybe Im not as far up as I think, so I let him go and thought, holy moly you are flying! Ive never jumped the last fence at Badminton with quite that feeling.3, Gemma Stevens on Chilli KnightLast time here I had no control, but I changed the bit last year and it worked at Burghley and he was unbelievable today, said Gemma.He still throws his head around and he says, dont make me whoa, but he at least knows now that Im whoa-ing for a jump, so he does have some respect.4, Austin OConnor and Colorado BlueThere would be something very wrong with me if I wasnt smiling after that. Hes always been very fit and strong but I think even at the age of 15 hes getting better. He was pretty foot perfect from where I was sat, said Austin after his round.Im very lucky with the owners I have. Theyve been very patient. It may look like hes done a lot but up to the age of 11/12 he was very lightly campaigned. Hours of hacking, hours of conditioning, things like that. Hes got stacks of ability and I said coming here hes in the form of his life.5, Harry Meade and SuperstitionHe hasnt run cross-country at all sinceBurghleylast September. Thats pretty unusual, but I reckoned I could do all the prep at home. I think people thought Id entered him but wouldnt run him, said Harry of this horse, who was seventh out of the startbox this morning and finished bang on the optimum time.I jumped two showjumps at about 90cms [in the warm-up today] and then the main thing was to keep him relaxed and then try to go like a scolded cat.6, Christoph Wahler on DAccord FRHChristoph is competing at Badminton for the second time.I was a bit less nervous, you know the place and you know youll be terribly nervous on cross-country day, nothing changes about that, but Im very pleased with my horse, said the German rider.He was incredible my horse. He was impressed by the first few fences and jumped carefully but then he got going and settled into it.7, Harry Meade and Cavalier CrystalThis horse came home seven seconds under the optimum time.[Being quick is about] not being greedy, disclosed Harry. When you gallop you want them to breathe and gallop with, metaphorically, a resting heart rate. Obviously its not (resting), but its an endurance test and its about trying to make each fence easy for them. Let the momentum take them uphill and when going downhill let them fill their lungs. I try and go into the next fence thinking it is going to upset the applecart so I never rest of on my laurels because thats when it goes wrong.8, Tim Price on Vitali Tim and Vitali were the final combination to tackle the Eric Winter-designed cross-country course this afternoon.The cross-country is a joy, but Im not looking forward to showjumping, said Tim with a smile. The margins for doing [a course like this] correctly or incorrectly are very small, but hes a professional and Im proud of him.9, Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor ClassOliver Townend was second out on Ballaghmor Class, his two-time Burghley winner (in 2023 and 2017), this morning and came home with 4.8 time penalties.He enjoyed the ride more than I did I enjoyed the finish line, said Oliver with a smile.Hes a good little horse as we all know and hes very keen these days and theres not a lot to back him off, which sounds ridiculous at Badminton, but the skinny rails hes not too worried about.The bigger the fence, the more beautiful he is to ride to it.10, Ian Cassells on Master PointIrish rider Ian Cassells is the highest placed first-timer after cross-country, sitting in tenth overnight riding Bridget McGings Master Point.Ian runs his own yard near Dublin and enjoys teaching. He is on target for his fourth CCI5* completion tomorrow, having previously completed Pau, Burghley and Luhmuhlen.After adding just 3.6 time penalties to their dressage score the pair moved up from equal 18thafter dressage here to complete the top ten overnight.Top 10 after cross-countryBritains Oliver Townendand Cooley Rosalent: 21.1 (dressage) + 1.2 (cross-country time-faults) = 22.3Britains Ros Canterand Lordships Graffalo: 22.4 + 0 = 25.3Britains Gemma Stevensand Chilli Knight, 29.5 + 0 = 29.5Irelands Austin OConnorand Colorado Blue, 30.8 + 0 = 30.8Britains Harry Meadeand Superstition, 31.8 + 0 = 31.8Germanys Christoph Wahlerand DAccord FRH, 32.2 + 0 = 32.2Britains Harry Meadeand Cavalier Crystal, 33.8 + 0 = 33.8Britains Oliver Townendand Ballaghmor Class, 29.3 + 4.8 = 34.1 New Zealands Tim Priceand Vitali, 30.6 + 3.6 = 34.2Irelands AIan Cassellsand Master Point, 30.7 + 3.6 = 34.3A total of 12 penalties the equivalent of three rolled fences separate the top 10 going into tomorrows showjumping, so there is plenty to play for.The final horse inspection will take place first and only those passed as fit by the ground jury will allowed to participate in the final phase.View the full standings*About the flagsAll fences on a cross-country course are marked on either side with flags: white flags on the left, red flags on the right. A penalty-free round requires rider and horse to pass between the middle of the flags.If a flag is knocked down, 15 penalties are automatically awarded and appear on the leaderboard with an asterix, which means they are under review. When the ground jury have reviewed video footage of the fence to see whether the horse and rider both passed the correct side of the flag, they decide whether the penalties should be upheld or removed. The leaderboard is updated accordingly.Images by Tim Wilkinson. Unmarked images courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.Additional reporting by Natalie ClarkRelated contentLatest news from BadmintonHow to watch Mars Badminton Horse Trials 2025When riding isnt your day job: Badminton contenders with interesting jobsAll British top 10! Oliver Townend leads after two days of dressageThe post Oliver Townend hangs on to lead after action-filled cross-country day at Badminton appeared first on Your Horse.