Aintree beckons for Knight duo

Henrietta Knight is preparing an assault on the big staying chases this spring with Chives and Southern Star.

The Wantage trainer reports both horses in good shape after recent defeats in top company, Chives having finished runner-up to Mini Sensation in the Coral Welsh National and Southern Star second to Historg at Cheltenham on New Year's Eve.

Knight believes both horses could be suited by the Martell Grand National or the Scottish equivalent and said: "They will be entered for Aintree as well as Ayr. Both of them prefer going left and all the Nationals except Ireland are that way around.

"Chives will have a break until the AON Chase at Newbury in mid-February, a race I prefer for him to the Irish Hennessy. The Welsh National was only his 12th ever run and he's still young and inexperienced.

"Southern Star pleased me at Cheltenham with the way he stayed on up the hill but he would be better on quicker ground and for him the Scottish National could be an ideal target."