Michael Whitaker has gained the ride on David McPherson’s former British team horse Pilgrim II. David rode the Holstein stallion to a British team bronze medal in the 2007 European Championships at Mannheim (pictured right) before the horse was sold to Norway’s Line Raaholt.

Since leaving the UK the horse has also been ridden by Dutch rider Henk van der Pol. “I schooled him in a small class at Addington for second place at our first show” said Michael, who plans to test the waters over a bigger track at Hickstead, where he is entered for the Bunn Leasure Derby Tankard on Thursday. Photo: Pilgrim with David McPherson