Sunshine and hot international competition saw the crowds enjoy their wine and picnics by the feature water fence.
Oliver Townend on Jackson D'Allez took the lead by just one point from the overnight leader Polly Stockton on Westwood Poser. In fact so close were the top ten that there were only two fences separating them, so it was all to play for in Sunday's final show jumping phase.
Cork couple, Patricia and Michael Ryan led the Irish challenge with Patricia's Fernhill Clover Mist in fourth and her husband Michael's Old Road in seventh position. Olympic medallist Mary King GB put in three superb secure performances to finish an amazing third, eleventh and twelfth.
"The course is glorious. It makes such good use of the natural terrain. I am looking forward to returning," said Mary, who was visiting Tattersalls for the first time.
Meanwhile, Shane Power, from Kildare, put in a magnificent performance on Tullibard's Squaw to finish on his dressage score and win the Pony class sponsored by the Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa. Joseph O'Brien, son of leading trainer Aiden O'Brien, was second on Ice Cool Bailey and Jane Hanningan on Castleview Rakish Milly was third.
Zara Phillips, the daughter of Princess Anne, found herself drenched when her horse, Make Mine Music, hesitated at a water fence and threw Miss Phillips into the water.
Ms Phillips was attending the meeting in Co Meath as the Tattersalls International Horse Trials incorporated the HSBC FEI World Cup tm Eventing Qualifier.
Fortunately, both horse and rider were none the worse for their upset. Zara rode three horses in different classes at the event including Secret Legacy in the World Cup Eventing Qualifier.