Merveldt faces nervous wait in bid to make dressage cut

Dressage rider Anna Merveldt says she will be “sweating” today as she waits to see if her performance yesterday proves good enough to see her through to the next round.

The Canadian-born 49-year-old, who was brought up in Naas, scored 69.772% with her gelding Coryolano to place 14th of the 25 riders to contest the opening day, with Britain’s Carl Hester and Uthopia topping the leaderboard on 77.720%.

The second tranche of riders go before the seven judges today and, at the close of play, Merveldt must be in the top 32 — made up of seven teams of three and 11 individuals — if she is to progress to next Tuesday’s grand prix special.

“I am happy with the score, as the weather conditions were awful. It was really difficult with the downpours. Coryolano was absolutely fantastic. He is so confident and he trusts me and with the hailstones and he kept on going as if it was nothing different. He’s a soldier and he did his best and played a blinder,” said the Milan-based rider.

She said she couldn’t commit to assessing her chances of getting beyond the first round.

“I don’t know if we’ve done enough. All we can do is sit and wait. You really can’t say, but I am keeping my fingers crossed. We’ll be sweating tomorrow.”

The 45-year-old Hester, who is riding in his fourth Olympics, was “very happy” with his test.

“I know it’s not the highest mark I’ve had, but I have to take into account it is the Olympics, it is the toughest judges, it is the toughest standard and I am in the first group of competitors.”

Britain are the reigning European team champions, and their trio of Hester, Laura Bechtolsheimer and Charlotte Dujardin have been tipped for Olympic gold.

Bechtolsheimer was the second British rider in action and she was not happy with her 76.83% aboard Mistral Hojris, despite it being second best on the day.

“It is a pretty low score as far as Alf [Mistral Hojris] goes and not what we needed. I am gutted.”

Dutch superstar Anky van Grunsven, winner of the last three Olympic individual gold medals, scored 73.34% on Salinero, to lie fifth.

Meanwhile, Blue Loyd and Tinka’s Serenade, the horses of show jumpers Cian O’Connor and Billy Twomey, respectively, passed inspection last night.

The contest begins tomorrow with the first qualifier.