Triple Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Best Mate will face a maximum of six rivals when he makes his scheduled return to action in the William Hill Chase at Exeter on Friday.

Nicky Henderson has given Irish Hussar the go ahead to run in Saturday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury and is to school the leading fancy in Lambourn tomorrow.

Best Mate has been officially crowned top chaser for the first time in the Anglo-Irish National Hunt Classifications – but the handicappers do not regard him as an exceptional champion.