WILTSHIRE eventer Tim Price is hoping his recent strong form at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials can continue at this year's running of the event this weekend.

New Zealander Price, who is based in Mildenhall with his wife and 2018 Badminton winner Jonelle, was fifth last year on Ringwood Sky Boy and has been top five for the past three years.

Price, who will ride Ringwood Sky Boy and Bango, is the highest-ranked New Zealander at Burghley, with Wiltshire-based compatriots Sir Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson also taking part in one of only six CCI four-star events in the world.

“Both Ringwood Sky Boy and Bango are in really good form coming into this event this time,” he said.

"Both are fantastic with a lot of talent and ability and I am slowly learning how to get the best out of them in all three phases. The endeavour is to produce solid performances - and be first and second.

“I feel going and having a couple of good runs at Burghley will only set me up further for WEG (World Equestrian Games).

“It has plenty of solid combinations at Burghley this year, so no lack of competition and may the best man win at the end of the day.”

Five-time Burghley winner Todd, based in Badgerstown near Swindon, has two on the card in 16-year-old NZB Campino, who has top 10 finishes at all of the northern hemisphere four-star events and 11-year-old Kiltubrid Rhapsody, who was sixth this year at Badminton in his first four-star start.

Marlborough-based Nicholson has 12-year-old Teseo, 11-year-old Jet Set and 10-year-old Swallow Springs entered, having also won the Burghley crown five times.

The trials in Lincolnshire were getting under way on Thursday morning.