Henrietta Knight is hopeful that Somersby can shine again on Ascot’s big stage and regain his crown in the Sodexo Clarence House Chase on Saturday.

The 11-year-old gelding will be running in the Grade 1 contest for the fifth successive season, having been trained by Knight from her West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, to post an emotional success in 2012.

He was pipped a short head by Master Minded in 2011, before finishing third to Sprinter Sacre two years later when the race was switched to Cheltenham after Ascot was abandoned.

Transferred to West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon following Knight’s retirement in May 2013, Somersby blotted his copybook in last year’s renewal by unseating Dominic Elsworth as Sire De Grugy took the honours.

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Somersby will face a maximum of five rivals this time, headed by Sprinter Sacre and Dodging Bullets, who beat Knight’s former charge by two and a half lengths in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown last month.

Sprinter Sacre is set to make his long-awaited comeback after he was pulled up with a fibrillating heart at Kempton in Dember 2013, although Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson has stated he doesn’t want to run his stable star on unsuitably heavy ground.

Knight said: “Somersby always runs well at Ascot, but if Sprinter Sacre is at his best he would not beat him.

“I could see him turning the tables on Dodging Bullets. I don’t think he is a very consistent horse.

“Somersby just seems to love the gradual pull up the hill and enjoys it there.

“He is a much better horse going right-handed and even the owner (Tim Radford) has agreed with that now.

“He is getting on a bit now, but he has still got fire in his belly.”

SHINOOKI (3-1), from Alex Hales’s Edgcote yard, near Banbury, followed up his recent Fakenham win by returning to the Norfolk course to land a three-mile handicap chase under Kielan Woods yesterday.

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