Racing: Knight upbeat about Best Mate
"He is as well as ever this morning," she said.
"It has been a difficult few days deciding where to go but ultimately it will always come down to what is best for the horse and I hope we have got it right.
"There wasn't any point leaving him in because he wasn't going to run at Kempton at all now, even if he didn't run at Leopardstown.
"We made our minds up and that is what we decided. I think everybody understands why we have made the decision that we have."
Travelling out on Saturday for Sunday's contest, Best Mate will be spending his first night away from his stable since first arriving at Knight's West Lockinge yard, but homesickness is not an issue.
"When he came from Ireland he was a very good traveller and he is a relaxed sort of horse, much calmer than Edredon Bleu who can get a bit nervous," she explained.
"We are going to be staying with some friends although I'm not saying where.
"The going sounds ideal at the moment, although it is that strange word 'yielding' which they use and I'm never quite sure exactly what it means.
"When 'Blue' won at Clonmel it was yielding to soft and I thought it rode just on the easy side of good which would be perfect."
Meanwhile, Alvechurch trainer Ian Williams has given the go ahead for Batman Senora to take on Best Mate and Beef Or Salmon in the Ericsson Chase.
The French-owned chaser gave Williams the biggest win of his training career in the Grade One Prix la Haye Jousselin Chase at Auteuil on November 9.
Batman Senora's ultimate aim this season will be the French Gold Cup in June in which he has twice finished runner-up.
