Olympic bronze medallist Chris Burton of Australia usurped Germany’s Bettina Hoy ©Twitter

Olympic bronze medallist Chris Burton of Australia usurped Germany’s Bettina Hoy with a superb display to take the lead at the Burghley Horse Trials as the dressage section of the four-day event came to a close.

Burton, a member of the Australian side which finished third in the team competition at Rio 2016, scored a total of 30.2 penalties on board Nobilis 18 to move into top spot ahead of the German.

"He’s a beautiful mover and today he was really relaxed, which meant I could ride forward and attack the movements," Burton said.

"It’s not easy to feel confident about the course at Burghley, but Nobilis is a blood horse and should cope with the trip."

Hoy, an Olympic bronze medallist as far back as Los Angeles 1984, had come into day two of dressage at the competition in Stamford in England as the one to beat but finished second.

The 53-year-old German, riding Designer 10, ended on a score of 34.5 penalties, claiming she "expected" Burton to go above her.

Andrew Nicholson of New Zealand, a five-time winner of the Burghley Horse Trials, produced the performance of a lifetime to edge into third spot going into the cross-country segment of the event tomorrow.

Australian Sam Griffiths was the leader after the morning session ©Burghley Horse Trials
Australian Sam Griffiths was the leader after the morning session ©Burghley Horse Trials

Nicholson and horse Nereo achieved their best-ever score at this level, completing the course with 35.2 penalties to his name.

Olympic and World Championships bronze medallist Caroline Powell, also of New Zealand, is fourth overnight having amassed 37.8 penalties on board Onwards and Upwards.

Sam Griffiths, a team-mate of Burton at the recent Olympic Games, was the leader after the morning session but finished eighth on 39.6 penalties.

"I’m very pleased; that was as good as it could have been," said Nicholson, who this time last year was recovering from a serious accident that left him with a broken neck.

"I’ve deliberately not brought him up here [to the arena area] since the trot-up because I trust him to behave and concentrate 100 per cent."

On the cross country course, which will take centre stage tomorrow, he added: “I think [course designer] Mark Phillips has got the hang of how to make the time impossible.

"With the early fences coming thick and fast it becomes hard to make up seconds and that’s when people make mistakes.

"I’d be surprised if anyone makes the time."