NICK Skelton sealed his place in the individual jumping final alongside GB team-mate Ben Maher as they bounced back from disappointment in the team event at the Olympics.

Skelton made the individual final for the fourth consecutive Games, having finished fifth on 13-year old bay stallion Big Star in London four years ago.

The combination have returned for another shot at the title in Rio, securing their progress on 13 faults after one jump penalty and one time penalty in their third round.

“I’m happy with that – he jumped great,” said Skelton, who is competing at a British record seventh Olympic Games.

“Again he was a bit unlucky and touched the wrong one.

“He left the floor well and he just touched it. He’s due for a change of luck and fingers crossed it will come on Friday. We all start equal again in the final which is very different and we’ll see what happens.”

Riding 13-year old bay stallion Tic Tac, Maher enjoyed his best round of the competition so far, riding clear for the first time but picking up one time penalty to finish on nine faults for his three rounds of qualification.

The 33-year old from Bishop’s Stortford , who only teamed up with Tic Tac in January this year, finished ninth in the individual event at London 2012, picking up a jump penalty in each of his rounds in the final.

The final rounds will start from 2pm tomorrow and it’s a chance to make up for a disappointing team display earlier in the week.

The 2012 gold medal winning quartet of Maher, Skelton and Michael and John Whitaker, crashed did not progress past the first round.

They have also appealed four faults, where Big Star was adjudged to have touched the tape at the water fence.

Britain finished in 12th place with a total score of 13 penalties.

Sign up to our daily Olympics briefing Read more Skelton, Maher and Michael Whitaker, though, all moved through to the next individual phase, with 45 riders jumping again today – when team medals are also decided and the top 35 then contesting Friday’s opening individual final, but John Whitaker and Ireland’s Greg Broderick are both out.

Skelton and Maher, riding Tic Tac, each had four faults, while Michael Whitaker’s horse Cassionato put a foot in the water and had a time penalty before John Whitaker amassed 23 faults with Ornellaia that included an early refusal.