Somersby, who was best of the English-trained runners when fifth in the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, could step up in trip to tackle the Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday, April 8.
The seven-year-old, from Henrietta Knight’s West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, was no match for the Irish contingent headed by Sizing Europe.
But it was nevertheless a creditable effort over a trip which time could tell is short of his best.
Knight said: “Somersby has come out of his race very well.
“Had he not made a bad mistake at the third last he would probably have been placed.
“He is still very young and was the youngest horse in the Champion Chase.”
Now Knight plans to campaign her stable star over longer distances, with a possible entry in the Melling Chase over two and a half miles, before tackling three miles next season.
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