Robert Smith won a thrilling jump-off against Jens Fredricson in the Osborne Refrigerators Derby Trial at Hickstead's international arena yesterday.

The 41-year-old Brit from Warwickshire tied with the Swede after they both completed the course with four faults but then beat him by almost six seconds in the jump-off.

The £2,500 win was the perfect tonic for Smith, and his nine-year-old horse Mr Springfield, ahead of Sunday's British Jumping Derby which he has never won before.

He said: "I normally go quick and the horse does too, so I wasn't worried about what Fredricson did.

"It was a tough track with 13 fences but the horse is Irish and he is quite straightforward. I thought he would be a good derby horse because he always has a go."

Elsewhere, Pyecombe-based rider Joseph Clee was denied his third win of the day by Tim Stockdale in the British six-year-old Jumping Championship.

Clee, who won the four and five-year-old classes earlier, lost out by 1.2 seconds to Stockdale.

Meanwhile, officials have announced the preliminary plans for the European Dressage Championships at Hickstead next year from August 13 to August 17.

It will be the first time the four-day extravaganza has been held at Hickstead.

Organisers expect 60,000 people to attend and hope to raise five to six million pounds for the local economy.

Show director, Dane Rawlins, 46, from Bolney, said: "It will be the first time the event has been held in the UK since Goodwood in 1987 and we have a chance to take dressage to a new audience.

"It is an Olympic sport that is beautiful to watch but is only just taking off here. We have big plans for an equestrian gala evening and a concert to be run in conjunction with the show."

The British Derby is at 3.15pm on Sunday.