Phillips gained 70.8 penalty points on Ardfield Magic Star

France's double European Champion Nicolas Touzaint put up a superb show on Hildago de L'Ile to edge into the lead over Devon's Lucy Wiegersma.

Only a narrow advantage of 1.4 penalties separates Touzaint from Wiegersma on Shaabrak after a dramatic cross-country day at Badminton.

Touzaint, 27, could be the first Frenchman to win the world's premier three-day event in its 59-year history.

World champion Zara Phillips lies 13th ahead of the final showjumping phase.

Placed ninth after the dressage, Touzaint collected 4.8 time penalties on the four-and-a-half-mile cross-country course with a time of 11 minutes 15 seconds.

"My horse needed to have a breather after eight minutes, because I did not want to push him at the end," he said.

606: DEBATE Who do you expect to do well at Badminton, Beijing and beyond? SH

Cheshire international Polly Stockton on Tom Quigley, Dorset-based William Fox-Pitt on Ballincoola, Georgie Davies from Hemel Hempstead on Fachoudette, and Oliver Townend from Market Harborough on Coup de Coeur, are also in close contention.

Stockton and Davies - third and fifth respectively - were the only individuals from 78 starters to finish without time penalties.

Britain's Olympic Games hopefuls are competing to impress selectors, who will aim to finalise the equestrian squad after Badminton.