Excitement is building at H&C as we learn that the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials 60th anniversary has once again received more entries than the event can accommodate: 85 horses have been accepted and there are another 44 on the waiting list.

The list of confirmed entrants for the UK’s biggest equestrian event includes three times winner and double Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd, returning after a nine year absence, and reigning World Champions Zara Phillips and Toytown, back in competition after the injury that kept the horse out of the Beijing Olympics.

Other past winning riders entered include Lucinda Fredericks with the ever popular little mare Headley Britannia and Rodney Powell with Zin Zan II, as well as Mary King and William Fox-Pitt; these two have also got rides at the Rolex Kentucky event in the USA a fortnight before, which could give them a head start in the quest for points in the valuable HSBC FEI Classics 5 four star events, which starts in Kentucky, continues at Badminton and will finish at Pau in France in October. The only other riders who could have horses at both Kentucky and Badminton are both British: Oliver Townend and Lucy Wiegersma.

William Fox-Pitt’s entries raise the possibility of completing the elusive Rolex Grand Slam, if he can magic a win in Kentucky to add to his Burghley effort last autumn.

Ten nations will be represented at this year’s event. Matt Ryan, Olympic gold medallist from Barcelona, still represents Australia, but is hoping to change nationality in line with his long term British residence. Mark Todd will have five fellow New Zealanders up against him, with Andrew Nicholson as keen as ever to top his record 26 completions with his first Mitsubishi Motors Trophy.

In addition to William and Mary, two more members of the 2008 British Olympic team, Daisy Dick and Sharon Hunt, will be hoping to do enough to retain their team places in 2009, when the target will be the European Championships in Fontainebleau in September. Sharon will be blogging live from the event exclusively for Horse and Country.

A host of young British riders will be looking to catch the eye of the selectors.