DORSET’S William Fox-Pitt narrowly failed to defend the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials title yesterday – but he still left Linc-olnshire £120,000 richer.

Sturminster Newton’s Fox-Pitt’s third-place finish on Parklane Hawk proved just enough to edge out Burghley winner Andrew Nicholson for the HSBS Classics crown, which rewards eventing’s most successful rider over a 12-month period.

New Zealander Nicholson, who landed his third Burgh-ley crown and £50,000, finished one point behind Fox-Pitt in the Classics standings.

It meant Fox-Pitt collected the £95,000 Classics top prize for a third time in his career, and £25,000 from Burghley’s prize fund.

But if Nicholson was left rueing such a narrow margin, it paled into insignificance when compared with Amer-ican rider Sinead Halpin.

Halpin led Burghley for the first three days after producing brilliant dressage and cross-country displays, but hopes of a first four-star title disappeared in the showjumping phase.

Last to go, Halpin even had two fences in hand, but 12 faults on Manoir de Carn-eville – including a penultimate fence knockdown – meant Nicholson and Ave-bury triumphed, with Halpin second and Fox-Pitt third.

Oliver Townend, the 2009 Burghley winner, was fourth aboard Nicholson’s former ride Armada, with New Zea-lander Jonathan Paget (Clif-ton Lush) fifth and American Allison Springer (Arthur IV) sixth.

Reflecting on his Classics success, Fox-Pitt said: “It was close. I came to Burghley knowing the pressure was on and knowing that Andrew was on fantastic form.

“Winning by one point is a bit close, but thank heavens for Parklane Hawk, who has been fantastic.

“Having two (showjumping fences) down is frustrating, but what a record he’s got. Perhaps with a more ideal preparation this year he would have been back to his old best.”