Oliver Townend and Carousel Quest were the undisputed winners of this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Oliver couldn’t have dreamt of a better result. The combination produced a clear round show jumping to add to their clear round cross-country yesterday, and of the 80 starters finished the three days of competition a comfortable eight penalties ahead of the 49 who completed.

Ollie was quick to praise Cressida Clague-Reading who originally produced the horse and from whom he took over the ride when Cressida decided to concentrate on show jumping. “Cressy put all the buttons on him – all I had to do was press them – he is a class horse,” said Oliver who will take home the Land Rover Perpetual Challenge trophy and a cheque for £55,000. “To be honest I am still celebrating Badminton – to win Burghley as well is simply just amazing.” Carousel Quest's breeder Jim Hood collected a prize as the grey by Carousel was the highest placed British bred horse.

The win also keeps Oliver at the head of the HSBC FEI Classics™ rankings, which finalises at Les Etoiles de Pau in France next month and also puts him in contention for a Rolex Grand Slam in Lexington, Kentucky next May, the first rider since Andrew Hoy attempted – but narrowly missed at Burghley in 2006.

A clear round over Richard Jeffery’s tightly timed course brought former British team member Polly Stockton up from 6th place overnight, into second with Arthur Comyn’s 10-year-old Westwood Poser. The Master Imp gelding who began the competition in 13th after dressage was contesting his first four-star event. “I wasn’t planning on bringing him here but after my main entry Regulus had to have colic surgery a few weeks ago I decided to re-route Poser – but I can’t quite believe the outcome,” said Polly, who rode Westwood Poser to fourth place in the World Cup Qualifiers at both Gatcombe and Tattersalls this year. “I knew he had the ability to do well but I did wonder if Burghley was a big ask for him but he just got stuck in and I can’t quite believe how far he came up.”

Four faults dropped Sam Griffiths and Happy Times to third place – the same position they occupied at the horse’s first four-star at Badminton. “I think he’s proved his Badminton result was no fluke and I am very excited about his future. He now deserves a good rest and hopefully we might think about campaining him towards the World Equestrian Games next year.”

39-year-old Ginnie Turnbull won the prize for the highest placed British first-timer. “It’s been a long time coming but worth waiting for,” Ginnie. Her horse Instant Reaction jumped a clear round in the show jumping to end the three days with a double clear to add to the double clear they achieved at Badminton in May. “What a great way to finish,” said Ginnie, “He couldn’t have done more.”

Harry Meade was disqualigfied from the competition after his ride, Dunauger, became excessively tired and got stuck on a cross country fence. Burghley released a statement saying that Harry Meade was unable to ride his second horse, Midnight Dazzler, because the ground jury disqualified him from the event after his first ride, on the basis that he breached the rules on abuse of horse and dangerous riding, riding an exhausted horse and excessive pressing of a tired horse.

Dunauger looked weary out on the cross country course and eventually became stuck on the alternative corner at fence 19, Capability's Classic, leading to a delay of approximately 25 minutes while he was extracted. He is reported to be uninjured.