Oliver Townend on course for £255,000 Grand Slam after Kentucky victory

Oliver Townend is looking to become only the third rider to win the Grand Slam

Britain's Oliver Townend is on course to land eventing's richest prize after he won the Kentucky three-day event in the United States.

The British number one won on Cooley Master Class, beating Germany's Olympic champion Michael Jung.

Townend won September's Burghley Horse Trials and victory in Kentucky means he is in on for the Rolex Grand Slam.

It has only been achieved on two previous occasions, by Jung and Britain's Pippa Funnell.

It carries a £255,000 prize and is awarded to any rider who wins consecutive Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton crowns.

Townend, 35, will head to Badminton next week among the major title challengers, with his Burghley champion horse Ballaghmor Class.

It was the fourth time Townend, who helped Great Britain take European team gold in Poland last September, has won an elite four-star event, collecting just over £90,000 for his efforts.

And he becomes the fourth British rider to claim victory at Kentucky after Funnell, William Fox-Pitt and Mary King.

Townend's brilliant show jumping, going clear with 13-year-old gelding Cooley Master Class, left him on a final score of 28.70 penalties, with Jung, who was chasing a fourth successive Kentucky win, finishing second and America's Marilyn Little third.