First-timer Tom Strawson, 37, has plenty of experience of cross-country riding, albeit more in the hunting and point-to-point fields than in eventing. He has 47 point-to-point wins under his belt, including three Midlands Area titles, he is master of the Brocklesby hunt and this spring he won the Harborough Ride, plus he has a day job as a farmer and chartered surveyor.

His hunting and team chasing friend Rowan Cope bet him £1,000 he wouldn’t get around Burghley, but he finished 21st there last year on his five-star debut on the ex-racehorse Public Address, known as ‘Brian’ at home.

Tom, who scored 38.5 for 48th place after dressage, has walked the Badminton cross-country course with Chris Bartle, Ros Canter and ‘Aunty Ginny’ [former event rider Ginny Rose], who is acting as my chef d’equipe. There’s a lot to jump and it’s intense in the middle. As I’m late to go, I plan to watch but I don’t know if that will be a good thing or not. It might make me even more nervous!’