Shropshire's Oliver Townend denied his shot at history

World number one Townend’s sights were trained on a clean sweep that has been achieved just twice in eventing history.

It is awarded to any rider that wins the three biggest five-star competitions consecutively – Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton – and 41-year-old Townend had already ticked two of them off.

But Townend, based near Ellesmere, is now out of contention after Ballaghmor Class, his ride at the Tokyo Games when Britain won team gold, was withdrawn less than 48 hours before Badminton starts.

“Absolutely gutted to withdraw Ballaghmor Class from this week’s Mars Badminton Horse Trials,” Townend said in a statement released by Badminton.

“He had an abscess earlier in the season and consequently missed a couple of runs and gallops.

“He went for his final gallop and with the 11.5-minute cross country course – combined with the possible soft ground – we don’t feel he is at his normal five-star fitness right now.

“He is fit and well and knowing his huge heart he would give us his all, but it is simply not in his best interest to run this week and his welfare is our top priority.”

Such is the Grand Slam’s acute degree of difficulty that it has only been completed by Britain’s Pippa Funnell 21 years ago and Germany’s double Olympic individual champion Michael Jung in 2016.

Townend has contested it on two previous occasions, falling from Ashdale Cruise Master during cross-country in the 2010 Kentucky event and being airlifted to hospital with shoulder and rib injuries before he was discharged the next day, while he was runner-up at Badminton six years ago behind New Zealander Jonelle Price.