The British quartet of Lee Pearson, Sophie Wells, Deb Criddle and Sophie Christiansen are chasing a fifth successive Team gold medal.

After Pearson topped the Grade Ib class yesterday, Wells (IV) and Christiansen (Ia) followed suit today with brilliant displays, and Criddle was second behind defending Individual champion Hannelore Brenner in Grade III.

All four riders will contest Individual medals over the weekend, with those scores added to their rounds yesterday and today to decide Team medals late on Sunday afternoon.

And the British gold rush should start tomorrow with Pearson chasing his 10th Paralympic title and Individual rider Natasha Baker (Grade II) also in medal action.

Paralympic debutant Wells set the tone today, emphatically topping a 14-strong Grade IV entry.

But it was Criddle who perhaps summed up the British mood best, stating: 'The motivation is that none of us wants to be on the team that doesn't bring home the gold medal.'

Riding Pinnochio, 22-year-old Wells posted her international personal best score of 75.906 per cent to strengthen Britain's gold medal bid.

Belgium's Michele George finished closest to Wells, scoring 72.906, but South African Philippa Johnson, Individual gold medallist from the Beijing 2008 Games, was down the order on Lord Louis with a score of 63.125.

Christiansen was last of the British riders in action, but the 24-year-old - a double Paralympic gold medallist four years ago - did not disappoint aboard Janeiro 6.

They scored a mammoth 83.765, way ahead of second-placed Singapore rider Laurentia Tan and Ireland's Helen Kearney, who was third.

Britain's succession of fine performances had earlier continued in Grade III, where the vastly-experienced Criddle finished second among her 12-strong section with LJT Akilles.

Criddle, 46, is competing in her fourth Paralympics, having won triple gold at the Athens Games eight years ago, and a score of 72.926 was beaten only by 2008 double Individual gold medallist Brenner.

Brenner, though, underlined her Individual medal credentials by posting an impressive 75.741 on Women of the World that suggested she could repeat her double gold of four years ago this time in London.

'Every test is another test. I never think about going out for gold, I do the best I can with my horse every time,' said the 49-year-old.