OLYMPIC champion Michael Jung is on course to win his maiden Land Rover Burghley horse trials after an impressive showing in the cross country saw him top the leaderboard.
Going into the day with a share of the lead, Germany's Jung, riding La Biosthetique Sam, stretched clear after completing the tough course with just a 0.8 time penalty.
Added to Friday's dressage score, that puts him 1.5 points ahead of New Zealand's Tim Price, who is based in Mildenhall, and the title will be Jung's if he can get through Sunday's showjumping finale unscathed.
Price is in contention after posting a 2.8 time penalties on Ringwood Sky Boy, and his wife Jonelle is in third after being one of just two riders to go around the course inside the optimum time.
Britain's former world number one William Fox Pitt, who shared the lead with Jung aboard Fernhill Pimms, had a disappointing day as he registered a score of 20.4 time penalties to slip down to 13th in the rankings.
Australia's Christopher Burton, riding TS Jamaimo, was the other rider not to receive any time penalties and he sits in fourth place, with no British rider among the top eight.
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