Mate faces tough task at Exeter

Best Mate will face 10 rivals as the triple-Cheltenham Gold Cup winner makes his eagerly-anticipated return to action at Exeter on Tuesday.

The 10-year-old missed a crack at a fourth blue riband when he broke a blood vessel during his last serious piece of work before the Festival and has not raced since finishing second to Beef Or Salmon in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December.

However, all has gone well with his preparation and he makes his seasonal debut in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup.

“We’re not necessarily expecting him to win but it should be a nice outing for him. He’s ready for a race,” said trainer Henrietta Knight.

The horse faces a stiff task, having to give weight all-round in a limited handicap.

The trip of two miles, one-and-a-half furlongs is considered too sharp for him these days and the rain-softened ground may not be ideal either.

Even so, connections are hopeful of a bold show from Best Mate, who will be ridden for the first time by Paul Carberry.

“The distance is on the short side and there are good, quicker horses in there,” Miss Knight went on.

“It’s a prep race to get him primed for the rest of the season.

“We’re not expecting wonders from him but we hope he will run a good race.

“He would prefer quicker ground but I don’t think it’s going to rain again before the race.”

Rivals include Contraband and Ashley Brook, who were first and second in the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, the Paul Nicholls-trained pair Kauto Star and Kadarann, Sue Smith’s Castleford Chase victor Mister McGoldrick and Monkerhostin, from Philip Hobbs’ stable, winner of last season’s bonusprint.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Nicholls, however, is not expecting the earth from his two runners.

Kauto Star is on the comeback trail having been sidelined through injury since being short-headed by Mistral De La Cour after being remounted at this track nine months ago.

The French-bred five-year-old looked a star in the making when trouncing Foreman in a novice chase at Newbury a month earlier.

“He’s in good order but we’ve been fairly easy on him. Whatever he does tomorrow he will improve for the run,” said Nicholls.

Kauto Star’s jockey Ruby Walsh is also returning from injury having chipped a bone in his elbow in a fall at Aintree eight days ago.

“It will be good to have him back,” added the Ditcheat trainer.

Kadarann has finished third in this race for the past two years, taking minor honours behind his stable companion Azertyuiop 12 months ago.

“He’s got it all to do but he runs well fresh and ran well in the race last year,” added Nicholls.

Richard Johnson is looking forward to renewing his association with Monkerhostin, who has not been seen in action since he finished third over hurdles at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

“He gets in at the bottom of the handicap and we hope he can run well,” the rider told At The Races.

“He should have a chance. I schooled him at home the other day and he seemed in great form.

“He made use of his handicap mark when he won the Bonusprint last year.

“Obviously the trip might be on the short side for him tomorrow but it might be for one or two of the others as well, and Best Mate as well.”

Hobbs shares Johnson’s concerns and added: “He’s in good form and we are using tomorrow’s race partly as a prep for the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday week.

“The trip tomorrow might be a bit short for him.”

An inch of rain fell at Exeter over the weekend and clerk of the course Barry Johnson said: “The chase course is good to soft, soft in places, although it’s only really one place.

“We had one millimetre of rain last night. The forecast is for perhaps two or three millimetres this afternoon and then it is due to be dry from teatime today until after racing tomorrow.

“So I can’t see the ground changing a lot.”

A bumper crowd isexpected at the Devon venue.

“We are hoping for 5,000 with Best Mate coming,” Johnson continued.

“We’ve got 11 declared and it’s going to be a huge race. It’s the biggest declaration we’ve had for a Haldon Gold Cup, normally with the Gold Cup we have five or six horses.

“We normally have around 4,000 or 4,500 racegoers but when Best Mate came last year we were up to 5,000.

“We reckon with Best Mate and all the class horses like Ashley Brook, Contraband and Kauto Star we might even go by that.”