Knight keeps faith despite Best Mate’s defeat

HENRIETTA KNIGHT reassured Best Mate’s fans that the nine-year-old is still on course for a fourth successive Cheltenham Gold Cup despite his reversal at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

Although the gelding sported stitches to a long cut under his left eye, Miss Knight believes that the main reason for his seven-length defeat to Beef Or Salmon in the Lexus Chase was the going, officially described as “soft to heavy”.

“Provided that we do not get the ground at Cheltenham that we had yesterday he will run very well,” she told Sky Sports News.