INKBERROW'S Olympic silver medallist Leslie Law has made a good start to his delayed three-day event season, as a member of the winning British team at the Saumur CCI in France.

The event attracted around 90 world-class riders and Law finished 13th individually on Shear L'Eau, one of two rides he had taken to the event.

Britain enjoyed a comfortable win in the team event where Law was joined by competition runner-up Pippa Funnell, William Fox-Pitt and Caroline Pratt.

"It was my second time at Saumur and Shear L'Eau jumped a good double clear," said Law. "He did some really good work in the dressage phase but was a little bit fresh, as this was his first outing since Pau last year.

"For a young horse he did really well, especially as there is quite an atmosphere at Saumur."

His second ride, the more experienced Matt Butler, began well. He lay third after dressage and was clear in the show-jumping phase but a run out at a corner fence cross country dropped him right down the order.

"It was disappointing and it's been a difficult year for the horse," said Law, who rides Matt Butler for Diana Fitzroy and retired him cross-country at last year's Badminton.

"I've yet to come to any conclusions about his future - I fee I have to take him a step at a time and see what materialises."

Law also made a good start to the British evening season with his team of young horses at Tweseldown.

Knock on Wood, the six-year-old who won a pre-novice section at Tweseldown, was competing at his first event.

"He is owned by my fiance Trina Lightwood and Roland Fernyhough and is a very exciting horse - he had a fantastic lead after dressage and finished on that score," said Law.

Another of his six-year-olds Shear Uisce, also competed at his first event at Twesel-down and finished fourth in his pre-novice section.

Perryfields Santa won a novice section, upgrading the seven-year old to Intermediate in the process and two more of Martin Sadler's horses, Perryfields Casper and Perryfields Halo, picked up a first and second.

"Perryfields Halo, who was second at Open Intermediate level, is an out and out jumper. Sally Newcomb has spent the winter doing dressage with him and has done a fantastic job. Both Halo and Casper are talented, and should go all the way to the top."

Law's team at Tweseldown was completed by Fireworks, a new ride for Mr and Mrs Bennett who came to him this year and jumped a good double clear at her first event, and Henbury Smoker, third in the open novice and owned by Francesca Nesbit.