The 46-year-old last clinched the top spot in 2018 on Ringwood Sky Boy but has since seen heartbreak at Stamford, unable to return to gold.
However, with a return to the top of the standings with 15-year-old gelding Vitali after his dressage phase, with an incredible score of 23.1 putting him far above the rest, Price is excited to see what he can produce this time out.
“There is such an edginess to trying to deliver in the ring at Burghley,” he added.
“I’m here to win and it’s not by accident that I’ve got myself in a position to win.
“We have the heartbreak because we have been in a position to win the competition numerous times now.
“I don’t get philosophical, I just need some time to recover from the one before and then I’m ready to come back and perform again.
“I’m confident that we’re going to do well.”
The so-called ‘heartbreak’ that Price is referring to is the near misses of second and fourth on his last two stints in Stamford.
Last year, the New Zealander scored a record-low 18.7 in the dressage but missed out on the top prize to home hero Rosalind Canter.
And with a brilliant phase in the ring once more, Price was proud to see Vitali deliver after some inconsistency.
“He’s super, we know that he’s a class dressage horse and he has all the ingredients for a really hot test,” he said.
“It’s funny because sometimes he has been quite unrideable and scores really well and then sometimes rideable and doesn’t, and vice versa so he’s a little bit all over the place.
“It’s down to what the judges are looking for on the day but to my point of view his rideability was super and the relaxation was lovely.
“It was just a great partnership on display today.”
Price will now look ahead to an incredibly demanding cross-county course on Saturday.
The big and bold 31 gate extravaganza is the pride and joy of Defender Burghley and is every eventer’s dream to compete in.
And with the course reversing this year, for the first time since 2017, Price admitted that the questions it presents will bring a demanding new challenge.
“I think it’s going to be very demanding on the clock and will be a task of maintaining a good rhythm from the start,” he said.
“Home is now not typical of the last few years where we have a minute and a half of galloping at the end and trying not to fall.
“Here, we don’t have that opportunity so I think we may be slower at the minutes.”
Defender Burghley Horse Trials (4-7 September 2025) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world’s top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk
