Zara Phillips targets Olympic gold with baby Mia by her side

But come back quickly she did.

Eight and a half months after Mia Grace Tindall — the 16th in line for the throne in Britain — was born on January 17, her mother placed 11th in the eventing at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, helping her nation to silver and Olympic qualification.

Phillips’ performance in France, which among the UK riders was only bettered by world No. 1 William Fox-Pitt, could well be enough to persuade Britain’s Olympic selectors that she is worthy of a spot in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

The master plan had come to fruition.

“I always wanted to get back for the Worlds at the right time,” Phillips says. “I’ve given myself enough time to get back where I left off.”

The objective now, as well as bringing up her daughter with rugby star husband Mike Tindall, is winning Olympic gold.

“You get this passed down through the family and that’s where it sort of came from. Obviously we’re very grateful to our family and hobbies and traditions, and the love and passion they’ve got for the horses has filtered down through the years.”

“Horses mean everything to me,” Phillips adds. “They’re what I do — my work and my passion. I’m very lucky.”

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CNN