By Pete Whitfield, PA Sport, Sydney

Great Britain are still challenging Australia strongly for Three-Day Event gold despite a fall for Ian Stark, riding Jaybee, at the first water jump on the Cross Country Course at Horsley Park.

If Stark had managed a clear round Britain would have only been trailing the Aussies, who led overnight after the dressage phase, by 1.4 points.

As it is the host nation have 114.2 points to Great Britain's 127 - a lead of 12.8 points.

But with the showjumping to come tomorrow, and five penalties for every fence knocked down, Britain are still very much in the hunt for gold.

Clear rounds from Jeanette Brakewell, on Over To You, Leslie Law, on Shear H20, and Pippa Funnell, on Supreme Rock, had Britain breathing down the Aussies' necks but Stark's fall has given the leaders some leeway.

Stark, however, insists anything can happen in the race for gold on Tuesday.

He said: "On a team competition you never know what's going to happen overnight, how the horses will be tomorrow, so you have to keep going."

Law is more optimistic, saying: "I think we'll be okay.

"We've got good jumpers, so we're confident."

Andrew Hoy, on Darien Powers, Stuart Tinney, on Jeepster, and Matt Ryan, on Kibah Sandstone, had clear rounds for Australia, worth 30.60, 36.00 and 47.80 points respectively but Philip Dutton, on House Doctor, incurred a 1.6 time penalty.

Stark's relief that he and Jaybee had escaped injury was mixed with frustration at losing ground on the Australians.

"He (Jaybee) picked up but instead of jumping it (the water jump) all he tried to land on top of it and there wasn't enough of it to land on. He just dived into the water on the other side.

"I thought for a second he was going to recover but the next thing I knew I was right under.

"It's just frustrating. He was jumping his socks off before that but afterwards I had no steering. Everything was wet and I was just slipping around."

Brakewell had ridden first for Britain, collecting 50.6 points, Law followed up with 44.0 and Funnell went third claiming 32.

Brakewell, when asked about the course, said: "It is testing without being trapping, a true Olympic track. It is not a piece of cake.

"There's a lot of galloping bits in the second half of the course and we really picked up time there."

Law said: "Everyone said there were some hairy parts but I thought I was in control.

"The course was a very good test. I wouldn't have wanted it much more difficult.

"It's been extremely well built, beautifully presented and the horses are enjoying it and they are jumping it really well - which is what the sport should be all about really."

Funnell said: "After seeing the first two do brilliantly I thought 'I'm not going to be the one to muck up here'. He (Supreme Rock) was just brilliant and I can't tell you the relief of doing well after all the years of work."

Ireland's quartet of riders - Susan Shortt, on Joy Of My Heart, Patricia Donegan, on Don't Step Back, Nicola Cassidy, on Mr Mullins, and Virginia McGrath, on The Yellow Earl, lie sixth going into the showjumping.

The Irish have 239.40 points. Shortt has 69.60, Donegan (54.20), Cassidy (59.20) and McGrath (62.40).

"The ride was brilliant and Don't Step Back got tired coming home," Donegan said.

"But he is greener than the other horses. Nothing on the course ever fazed him except the heat."