Knight ponders Leopardstown target for Mate
Connections of Best Mate today appeared to be leaning towards a tilt at the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas with their dual Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.
The original plan was to go for a repeat in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
But after Best Mate suffered a surprise defeat on his comeback at Huntingdon last month, his trainer Henrietta Knight said she was considering the Irish contest on December 28 for the gelding’s next race.
If that is the case then Edredon Bleu, who like Best Mate is owned by Jim Lewis, could head to Kempton.
“We will certainly keep Edredon Bleu in the race (the King George),” Miss Knight said. “The thing is at Kempton it could even be good to firm, and we have to consider all the options.
“I have heard that Ted Walsh said on Irish TV at the weekend that he didn’t think I would have the guts to go over for the Ericsson.
“You never know, he might have to eat his words.”
The very soft going was blamed for Best Mate’s defeat by Jair Du Cochet in the Tote Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.
“The ground will determine where Best Mate runs and I can see a scenario where Edredon Bleu would run in the King George, though he has never got three miles in his life, and Best Mate would go along to Ireland,” owner Lewis told attheraces.
“But in my heart, what I would really love is that we get the ground we like in the King George. It would be wonderful to win another King George.”
Wherever he runs, Best Mate is due to have only one more race before he bids for a third consecutive victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
When asked if Best Mate was going to race more frequently, Lewis replied: “Henrietta and I have virtually agreed, given that he comes home safe from Cheltenham, that I want to take him to Ireland for the Heineken at Punchestown, and then we will see more of him.
“At the end of the day Henrietta and Terry (Biddlecombe, Miss Knight’s husband) had this dream that we might win the Gold Cup three times, and you have to go along with that.
“But there are other cards to play and hopefully, if he’s safe and sound, he would go to Ireland.”
