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Equestrian: Andrew Nicholson and Clayton Fredericks had good Badminton warm-up runs at the rain-soaked Powderham Castle one-day event in Devon.

The Exeter event offered three top advanced sections that drew many of the best British based riders, eager to get a run before the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials from May 1 to 4, as the recent spell of bad weather has caused several cancellations.

Nicholson, the 46-year-old New Zealand rider based at Marlborough, won a section by a clear three point margin on Armada.

The nine-year-old, owned by Paul Ridgeon, is one of three horses Nicholson currently has entered for Badminton, although he will only be able to ride two.

The win, which left Australia's Sam Griffiths and reigning World Champion Zara Phillips in second and third, follows on from a trio of third placings the horse has picked up this season.

Nicholson also earned 6th, 7th and 8th placings on his other advanced rides Lord Killinghurst, the 17-year-old he rode into fifth place at Badminton last year; Silbury Hill, another of his 2008 Badminton entries who won the Punchestown CCI Three Star title in Ireland last season and the eight-year-old Avebury, a winner at Somerley Park last month.

In a typically busy event for the evergreen rider he also picked up a third on his Open Intermediate ride Mr Cruise Control; a second, fourth and 11th on Intermediate rides Calico Joe, Trafalgar and Tristar and a first and second at Novice level on Nikos and Quimbo, riding a total of 15 horses at the event.

Fredericks, the World Championship silver medallist who is based at Little Cheverell, was fifth and sixth on his advanced rides Nullabor, his Badminton entry this time, and Ben Along Time.

"Nullabor is on great form - he led his section after dressage, did a lovely show jumping clear and cantered round the cross country course in what was a good pre-Badminton run," said the Australian rider.

"The cross country course was nicely constructed and up to height and rode well - the Step complex caused lots of problems though.

"It rained the whole day but the event is on old turf which held up well."

Fredericks' other intended Badminton ride Dunges Laurent Rose has had to be withdrawn after suffering a minor injury at the Burnham Market event at the end of March.

"It's a bit of a bugger as it's only a small injury, but that's horses," Fredericks added.

"I'll just be taking it one day at a day with Nullabor now and will hopefully avoid any last minute problems, as Badminton is the one event every rider wants to get to."

Fredericks' wife Lucinda was in action at Powderham on her 2007 Badminton winner Headley Britannia, a live prospect for the Australian Olympic team this year.

The pair finished a close second in their advanced section after jumping a good double clear and enjoyed a "great run".

Other riders getting in that vital last run before Badminton included Marlborough-based Aussie Stuart Tinney, who gained a fine third place on the 12-year-old Vettori.

Tinney, who runs a yard back home with wife Karen, won team gold medal at the Sydney Olympics and is one of Australia's all time greats.

He is producing the stunning grey horse Vettori with Beijing in mind and the New Zealand Warmblood, who turned 12 this year, will be making his Badminton debut.

Tetbury-based Kiwi Annabel Wigley, 24, was 11th in her advanced section on Black Drum, who retired cross country at Badminton last year.

He came back strongly to finish 16th at Burghley last autumn and is looking forward to a second crack at Badminton.

Chippenham's Beanie Sturgis, who is due to ride Monarch's Rock for the first time at Badminton, was second in an Intermediate section at Powderham on Lebowski, the only horse to come home inside the time cross country in the section.

n Georgie Spence, who at just 19 is the youngest entry at the 2008 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, proved her current form at the Hambleden one day event in Oxfordshire.

She finished first, second and fourth in the Under 21 Open Intermediate section on Tom, Best of Spirits and Skylight, whose one show jump down prevented a clean sweep.

Spence was also 9th in an Open Novice section on a new ride, Nereamptah St Laurent, an Anglo Arab previously ridden by top French international Nicholas Touzaint.

She will now be looking forward to making her Badminton debut on May 1 to 4 and will ride Glen Woodman's 12-year-old Running Brook II, a horse competing at the highest four star level for the first time.

"I will be the youngest rider at Badminton, an event I rate as truly massive," Spence remarked.

"I just want to compete and hope it will be a really good experience - just to be there will be amazing."

Running Brook will have "one more hard canter, then a light canter and the normal flatwork and jumping training" before Badminton and Spence plans to "just carry on and not treat him any differently to usual" on the final run-up.

Clayton Fredericks was fourth in an Open Intermediate section on Poilu, the French Thoroughbred he rides for Devizes owner Colonel Simon Hall.

"Poilu would have been second but for one show jump down," explained Fredericks.

"I was actually very pleased with his performance though as he'd lost confidence in this phase in his previous events this season, having five rails down at Barroca, 8 down at the next outing and three at Somerley Park.

n Lacock's Kirsten McFaull was the rider in form at Warminster Saddle Club's open hunter trials at Oxendene, which ran qualifiers for the British Horse Society's national cross country championships.

The 10-year-old came first, second and third.

10:04am Thursday 24th April 2008

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