5 Things You Need to Know Before Scone Starts
Scotland’s newest 4*-L venue is here. From Wills Oakden’s home advantage to Burghley and Europeans prep, here are the key storylines you need to know before Scone begins.
1. Scotland’s Newest 4*-L venue
For years, Blair Castle was the home of top-level eventing in Scotland. Now, Scone Palace is back on the calendar and they come back bigger than ever. The CCI4*-L takes centre stage - the level that shapes Olympic and championship riders - alongside classes from BE90 through to CCI4*-S. With Blenheim hosting the Europeans this year, this CCI4*-L is hugely important for British Eventing.
This is not a relocation or copy of Blair. Scone is offering a flatter, more open layout compared to Blair’s famously hilly, stamina-testing track. Expect a different type of challenge and expect a completely new event.
2. Wills Oakden’s Home Advantage
Perthshire's Wills Oakden couldn’t have asked for a better local event. Wills arrives with four rides in four different classes.
- Keep It Cooley - CCI4*-L
- MacGregor's Cooley - CCI3*-L
- Another Class Cooley - CCI2*-L
- Greystone Midnight Harmony - CCI1*-Intro
Wills Oakden knows how to win on Scottish soil — he’s collected five Blair Castle titles in just three seasons. With Keep It Cooley, he’s risen through levels and won every time: CCI2-*L in 2022, CCI3-*L in 2023, and CCI4-*L in 2024. Add another CCI4-*L win with A Class Cooley and a CCI2-*L title with Mile Beach, and it’s a record that speaks for itself.
Now comes a new stage. At Scone, Wills isn’t just chasing another result — with four rides in the mix, he could be eyeing anything from a sixth to a ninth Scottish win. Am I being too ambitious? Maybe a little... but it would make a great EquiRatings stat!
3. Big Names Before Big Runs
Scone doubles as a crucial prep run for some of the sport’s biggest upcoming targets. Several Burghley-bound horses line up here. Emily King’s Valmy Biats, Emma Thomas’s Icarus, and Austin O'Connor's Sixmilewater are all sharpening up before tackling the world’s toughest five-star.
On the Europeans front, Laura Collett’s London 52 headlines for Britain, while Tom McEwen’s JL Dublin will run here. Ireland’s Sarah Ennis also runs key hopefuls - Grantstown Jackson and Dourough Ferro Class Act - from the nominated list. Their performances at Scone will give us an early read on how championship form is shaping up.
4. Who wins?
The EquiRatings Prediction Centre has been running the numbers across both the CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S.
In the CCI4*-L, Wills Oakden and Keep It Cooley top the board with a 20% win chance, followed closely by Izzy Taylor and SBH Big Wall at 19%. Both combinations arrive with standout recent form - with Wills and Izzy both finishing in 2nd place at Burgham in July.
Meanwhile in the CCI4*-S, Laura Collett and London 52 dominate the stats, carrying a 37% win chance. The three-time 5* winners and Olympic bronze medallists lead a huge class filled with big names. Emily King has a 19% win chance with Valmy Biats while Ros Canter and Izilot DHI come just behind with 17%.
5. What It Will Take to Win the CCI4*-L
The stats from British CCI4*-L's paint a picture of what it might take to top the leaderboard at Scone. The average winning score over the last decade has been 31.0, typically producing dressage in the high 20s, only 2–3 cross-country time penalties, and keeping the rails at a minimum on the final day.
- Dressage: Expect SBH Big Wall (Izzy Taylor) and Landmark's Jungle Gold (Lauren Nicholson) to be in the mix after dressage. The question is if they can hold the lead.
- Cross-Country: Roughly 60% jump clear at British CCI4*-L, but when only 13% make the time — the speed horses have the best chances. Based on the EquiRatings Top Speed Percentage, MGH Jessica (Heidi Coy) and Keep it Cooley (Wills Oakden) are worth watching on Saturday.
- Showjumping: Only 33% of competitors jump clear on the final day of a British CCI4*-L. This is where consistent jumpers shine. Jenny Caras' Sommersby haven't had a rail in any of their last 11 international rounds.
This all sounds simple on paper but it is pretty tough to execute. Over the last 10 years, there has been 1,899 starters at British CCI4*-L and only 95 have managed to finish on their dressage score — a mere 5%. Can anyone make history and be the first to do it at Scone?
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