Mate's brother in Knight's festival eight

Best Mate is one of a team of eight pencilled in for the Cheltenham Festival by trainer Henrietta Knight – one of which is the champion’s year-younger brother Inca Trail.

Having proved slightly disappointing since arriving in Britain late in 2002, Inca Trail showed a dramatic return to form when winning over hurdles at Wincanton last month.

Knight, who has the Coral Cup in mind, is hopeful that a recent breathing operation has worked the oracle for the eight-year-old, although as with his big brother, she reckons testing conditions would be against him.

In that case, stablemate Foly Pleasant – owned, like Tote Gold Cup favourite Best Mate, by Jim Lewis – could enter the equation.

The trainer also singled out Rosslea (National Hunt Chase) and Impek (Cathcart Chase) as others with good chances of improving her tally of six Festival wins.

“Rosslea has been second to three classy novices this season in Therealbandit, Pizzaro and Our Vic,” Knight said.

“He is a very sound jumper and he stays on so well at the end of three miles that I really think he will get four without a problem.

“He is going to be ridden by Richard Burton, who is a champion point-to-point rider and who we know very well because he used to ride work here when he was at university in Reading.

“The only concern I have is that he might prefer a bit of cut in the ground, but I hope he will run very well.

“I haven’t given up on Impek. There’s sure to be some big names in the Cathcart, but he likes good ground and I think he’ll run well. He seems to like Cheltenham, too.”