Bleu set for hurdles spin

Edredon Bleu is set to run over hurdles for the first time in eight years later this month.

Trainer Henrietta Knight is looking to run the 13-year-old at either Taunton on January 20 or Wincanton on January 22 as she she cannot find a suitable chase opportunity.

Edredon Bleu is still a novice over hurdles having been beaten in his first two starts for Miss Knight and the handler is keen to get a run into him on a right-handed track.

She told the Racing Post: “It’s impossible to find a suitable chase for Edredon in the coming weeks, so we thought we’d take the hurdles route and make the most of the fact he’s still a novice.

“I want to race him right-handed, hopefully on good ground, and there are a couple of options open to us at the end of the month.”

Edredon Bleu, who won the 2003 King George Chase, has been disappointing on both his starts this year but Miss Knight is still targeting the Daily Telegraph Festival Trophy.

Edredon Bleu is a 25-1 shot with Stan James for the Cheltenham event.