NANTWICH’S Hannah Bate says her report card from the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials would read ‘could do better’.

Bate and Finbury Hill finished in 29th place but didn’t have the best of times on Sunday’s showjumping finale – Germany’s Michael Jung finishing the weekend top of the leaderboard.

While Bate might not have been happy with her overall standing it wasn’t because of any lack of consistency, as the duo started with 47.2 in the dressage to put them 28th.

They moved up one place on Saturday with a clear run of Captain Mark Phillips’ reversed cross-country course before two faults in the showjumping left them back in 29th.

And Bate admits it was disappointing to end with faults after Finbury Hill went so well in the cross-country.

“I’m never happy if I have fences down but at the end of the day he tried and he actually had a good round so it’s just a bit disappointing,” she said.

“He had the same fence down last year and he jumped it exactly the same and just hoofed it out of the way.

“It’s disappointing to knock the second one down because it’s a long way around but he jumped well enough. I’m happy with that.

“He felt good this morning after the cross country so maybe I saved a little bit too much on the course but it’s hard to gauge these things.”

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is one of six four-star events in the world and sees the best riders from across the globe descend on Lincolnshire to pit their wits against each other.

And Bate says the experience of riding with the best in the business will help her and Finbury Hill improve in the future.

“It’s been a good Burghley experience and I am happy with him; it’s always nice to end on a better not but with him you never know,” she added.

“He could jump clear or he could have three or four down, he can’t be quite temperamental and can find it quite difficult.

“He’ll have a holiday now and will have the same plan next year. We don’t run him very often, he’ll jump in the new year and will have one or two runs before Badminton and one or two before Burghley.

“He’s a bit older and doesn’t need to go cross country all the time and it suits him that way so hopefully we’ll be back.”

Fellow Nantwich rider Paul Sims finished with 77.4 points, good enough for 25th place.

But it could have been a very different story as Sims clipped a number of fences in Sunday’s showjumping phase, only sending one down.

“I was a little lucky,” said Sims.

“He (Glengarnock) had a few lucky rubs, especially when I bounced the back rail on the first fence, but that’s how it goes.

“Sometimes you have it and sometimes you don’t. To jump a clear round he would need some luck.

“He’s done fantastically this week. It’s his fourth completion at four-star level in two years.

"He’s a fantastic horse."

“He’s not built for speed, he’s built for comfort, because he’s not a blood horse, but if he gets round two four-stars a year then we’re happy.

“He woke up this morning feeling great, because he’s built like a tank. He’s solid. He goes his own speed but his recovery is great.”

The competition was led from pillar to post by Michael Jung, although he fell off Fischerrocana, who led the dressage, during the cross-country phase.

However, he produced a brilliant ride on his second mount, Sam, to retake a lead which he never relinquished.

The lack of British interest at the top of the leaderboard - Tina Cook was the highest home finisher, in eighth - did nothing to dispel the crowds, who packed the arena to watch Jung jump clear to victory.

“There’s such a buzz,” added Sims. “There seems to be a lot more of it this year compared to last, and it’s a great atmosphere, and my horse seems to love it here.

“He really lights up for the crowds. We used to think his problems show-jumping were because of the crowd, but he’s only had one fence down two years running now, so I think he just likes Burghley.

“We’ll come back and get ready for Badminton next year, and we’d love to come back here in 2016. I just really wish he’d go a little quicker.

“On his best day, with everything in his favour, I think we could get within 10 time faults of the time, so as long as we keep improving the dressage and the jumping is only four faults, we’re always going to be somewhere near.”

The multi-award winning Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (September 3 to 6) has been established as a major international equestrian and social event in the Autumn Sporting Calendar for over 50 years. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk