Somersby, the rising star of Henrietta Knight’s West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, is to be campaigned over shorter distances when he returns to action this autumn.
The six-year-old gelding made a big impression last season, winning at Warwick and Sandown before finishing second at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals.
He is as low as 8-1 with Paddy Power to thwart Kauto Star in his bid for a fifth successive King George VI Chase crown at Kempton on Boxing Day.
But speaking at her first public open day for six years yesterday, Knight told a crowd of around 250: “He will start off at shorter distances like he did last year and we will see how he takes to them.
“He will run over two or two and a quarter miles.”
And later she pinpointed either the tote Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on Tuesday, November 2 or a graduation chase at Kempton the previous day as the likely starting point for the gelding.
This could be followed by a crack at Sandown’s Tingle Creek Trophy Chase.
Full report & more pictures in Thursday’s Oxford Mail
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here