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The Olympic gold medallist pairing of Ballaghmor Class and Oliver Townend, could become the outright most successful British combination in eventing history at Badminton this weekend.

The pair have already enjoyed a distinguished career, claiming four five-star titles and leading Team GB to an historic Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games.

The 18-year-old gelding has not been placed outside of the top five on his past four visits to Badminton, finishing runner-up twice.

And you can watch highlights of the 2025 Badminton Horse Trials on Sunday, 11 May (BBC Two and iPlayer from 13:45 BST).

“He’s very shy to start with but I think he’s become quite aware that he’s a superstar now.

“When the wagon goes down the road to a competition and he’s not in it, he’s banging the stable door down. Thomas is what you’d call a professional, a proper competition horse.”

The “quirky” horse first gained attention in winning the Burghley Horse Trials on his debut at the level in 2017. He has since achieved success at Kentucky, Burghley again and Maryland last autumn.

Townend, 42, has won nine five-star level events, including Badminton in 2009 on Flint Curtis.

“For me to try to show the world how good he is, is my main job but, so far so good. By the time he finishes everybody will realise quite what a special horse we’ve seen,” he added.

Townend is also riding Ballaghmor Class’ stablemate Cooley Rosalent in a bid to claim his second Badminton title and 10th five-star win.

The Olympic gold medallist pairing of Ballaghmor Class and Oliver Townend, could become the outright most successful British combination in eventing history at Badminton this weekend.

The pair have already enjoyed a distinguished career, claiming four five-star titles and leading Team GB to an historic Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games.

The 18-year-old gelding has not been placed outside of the top five on his past four visits to Badminton, finishing runner-up twice.

And you can watch highlights of the 2025 Badminton Horse Trials on Sunday, 11 May (BBC Two and iPlayer from 13:45 BST).

“He’s very shy to start with but I think he’s become quite aware that he’s a superstar now.

“When the wagon goes down the road to a competition and he’s not in it, he’s banging the stable door down. Thomas is what you’d call a professional, a proper competition horse.”

The “quirky” horse first gained attention in winning the Burghley Horse Trials on his debut at the level in 2017. He has since achieved success at Kentucky, Burghley again and Maryland last autumn.

Townend, 42, has won nine five-star level events, including Badminton in 2009 on Flint Curtis.

“For me to try to show the world how good he is, is my main job but, so far so good. By the time he finishes everybody will realise quite what a special horse we’ve seen,” he added.

Townend is also riding Ballaghmor Class’ stablemate Cooley Rosalent in a bid to claim his second Badminton title and 10th five-star win.

As Bayern Munich were celebrating winning the Bundesliga title recently, former England defender Kyle Walker received a somewhat unexpected video call.

“It was Vincent Kompany,” he said on the The Kyle Walker podcast.

“Me and Vinny are obviously still really good friends and he does FaceTime me probably once a month. And he FaceTimed me after the win.”

The current Bayern Munich boss was, of course, a team-mate of Walker’s at Manchester City.

Among those celebrating too was Harry Kane, who has also played alongside Walker for both England and Tottenham.

“Harry was there with a pint of beer in his hand, which I was very, very impressed with,” Walker added, saying he was delighted to see the Three Lions captain finally win the first trophy of his professional career.

“It’s probably a weight off his shoulders,” Walker said.

“To go there last season and not win it, and get beaten by a Leverkusen team that was very, very good, was probably a kick in the teeth for him.

“He’s been to two European Championship finals and had to walk past the trophy. He’s played in cup finals, played one against me. We’ve played in a couple together at Tottenham and in semi-finals.

“For him to then finally get a trophy, I think it’s definitely more than deserved. At least no-one can start saying that anymore, that Harry Kane’s not got a trophy.

“He’s got a trophy now and that’s it. It’s put to bed.”

We know Chelsea have won a sixth successive title and will officially be crowned Women’s Super League champions when they lift the trophy on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace’s relegation has been confirmed and no other team can break into the league’s top three.

But there is still plenty up for grabs on Saturday as the Women’s Super League reaches its conclusion.

Arsenal and Manchester United have already secured their places in the WSL’s top three alongside Chelsea, but who finishes where is still to be decided.

Renee Slegers’ side host United at Emirates Stadium on Saturday in a match you can watch live on BBC Two from 12:15 BST.

The Gunners head into the game on the back of two successive defeats in which they conceded nine goals, but face a United side who must win to leapfrog them in the table.

The final standings will determine which round of qualifying the teams enter for next season’s revamped Champions League.

As champions, Chelsea automatically qualify for the new league phase, which will start in October and feature 18 teams, replacing the old group stages.

Whoever finishes second in the WSL will enter in September’s final qualifying round, while the third-placed team must go into the second round of qualifying in August.

Arsenal’s Alessia Russo is in the driving seat to win the Golden Boot award.

England international Russo is level on goals scored with last season’s winner Khadija Shaw, but has one more assist than the injured Manchester City forward.

Shaw has not featured since the League Cup final on 15 March, when Chelsea beat City 2-1, and interim boss Nick Cushing confirmed on Friday that the Jamaica international “is still in that initial stage of rehab” and won’t feature on the final day.

Russo has thrived under Renee Slegers, scoring 12 goals in 20 league appearances.

It’s a straight shootout between Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton for the WSL Golden Glove award.

The trophy is given to the keeper who has kept the most clean sheets and with one game to play, Tullis-Joyce is one clear of Hampton.

While Chelsea’s goal difference is far superior to United’s, it is Marc Skinner’s side who have the league’s best defence having conceded only 12 goals, while champions Chelsea have conceded 13.