William Fox-Pitt warmed up for his assault on eventing’s world crown later this month by winning the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.

The 41-year-old Olympian continued a rich of vein of form in securing Blenheim’s top prize and £8,000 aboard Parklane Hawk.

A clear showjumping round took Fox-Pitt to victory as he saw off the challenge of his closest rivals Ruth Edge and Piggy French.

Both Edge and French piled the pressure on Fox-Pitt, who was last to go and knew any fences down would cost him dear.

But his experience under pressure proved crucial as he finished on 44 penalties, with three-time British Open champion Edge (Carnaval Prince II) second on 45.6 and French (Chase The Moon) third, a further 0.6 penalties behind following their clears.

French, who will join Fox-Pitt as part of a six-strong Great Britain squad for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, also took fourth place, riding Flying Machine, with New Zealander Neil Spratt (Upleadon) fifth and Ireland’s Aoife Clark (Master Crusoe) sixth.

Dorset-based Fox-Pitt will be among the favourites in Kentucky for individual honours, given his consistent form this year.

He won the Lexington four-star event in April with his World Equestrian Games horse Cool Mountain, while he finished second at last weekend’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials on Seacookie before landing a first Blenheim title since 2000.

Fox-Pitt also leads the HSBC Classics series for 2010, which rewards the most successful rider over eventing’s five annual four-star events and concludes in Pau, south-west France, two months from now when a £92,000 jackpot will be at stake.

As for Parklane Hawk’s performance in the Oxfordshire countryside today, Fox-Pitt was understandably thrilled, especially after a difficult start to this year when he fall from the horse in competition, and then retired him at the Bramham event during early June.

“When you get a horse like this, it can take a while to press the right buttons,” he said.

“He is a very cool customer, but he was very tense when he arrived with me from New Zealand.

“I’ve always known he is a fantastic horse, but it has taken time.”

Fox-Pitt guided Parklane Hawk to fourth place in a two-star event at Scotland’s Blair Castle a fortnight ago, and he added: “That was the perfect preparation for this weekend, although I never dreamt I would win today.”

New Zealand’s double Olympic gold medalist Mark Todd produced a masterful performance on NZB Land Vision to take the supporting three-star event for eight and nine-year-old horses.

Todd compiled one of only four clear cross-country rounds inside the time, and that was enough to collect a £2,000 winner’s purse.

Overnight leader Edge (Applejack II) incurred six time penalties, dropping to fourth position after recording the slowest time among the top 14 finishers.

Todd and Land Vision ended on their dressage score of 45 penalties, claiming a clear victory over Britain’s Sarah Cohen (Treason) in second and third-placed Australian challenger Brook Staples (DHI Vitesse).

Zara Phillips, the 2006 eventing world champion, delivered a solid display aboard High Kingdom to climb 11 places from 18th after joining Todd, Charlie Pickman (Viking) and Jo Chipperfield (On Your Marks) as the only double clears from 59 starters.