Hersham show jumper Sam Hutton says teaming up with new steed Lancelot could take him to the 2012 Olympics.

The former Heathside student had enjoyed success on former number one mount Olympia III, which saw him to a second-place finish in the Young Riders Championship at the Horse of the Year show last year.

He also claimed his first international title in the Dick Turpin Stakes at the same event in October on Valention VII.

But it is his new pairing with Lancelot that has blossomed since October, with the 22-year-old rider winning a string of trophies this summer.

And Hutton, who competed in Kent at the weekend, has vowed to keep up the good form as he bids to reach the London Games.

”Lancelot is my best hope of making the Olympics. We’ve just got to be consistent,” he said.

“We got him in October last year and things have been going well ever since. He is my top horse now.

“It has been go, go, go all this summer and we’ve had a lot of back-to-back shows since April, but we’re really pleased with how things have gone.”

Hutton was re-selected for the British Equestrian Federation’s World Class Development programme in February and finished second on Lancelot in the Bunn Leisure Derby Tankard at Hickstead in June.

The highly-rated star has already won five events this year, including the British Masters 1.40m class title in Cheshire earlier this month on For a Smile - which is part owned by his mum, Wendy - beating British number one Guy Williams in the process.

He also finished third on the same horse in the Horse Deals 1.35m and third on Astral 57 in the Bilton Ward Development 1.40m.

“It was a fantastic weekend and a great experience to be competing in such a strong field of top international riders,” he added.

“The courses were strong and technical, and to win against such tough competition at such a prestigious event was the icing on the cake.

“I am delighted with how all three horses performed and it gives me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the season.”