Knight issues Bleu warning

Henrietta Knight has warned that Edredon Bleu will not defend his King George VI Chase title if the ground at Kempton is too testing.

The 12-year-old is on course for the Stan James-sponsored contest on Boxing Day but Miss Knight could elect to run stablemate Impek if the ground comes up soft.

She told the Racing Post: “If it got very soft at Kempton he wouldn’t run and we could run Impek instead.”

Edredon Bleu missed his intended run in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon last month due to testing conditions at the track and Miss Knight is pleased she pulled him out.

“The key to him is the ground. I am glad we took him out at Huntingdon as it wouldn’t have been fair on him to run,” she added.