Commander team consider options

Imperial Commander could bid to get his Gold Cup dream back on track in the Letheby & Christopher Chase at Cheltenham later this month.

Last season's Ryanair Chase hero put up a fantastic performance to get within a nose of Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, but he could only finish a weary fifth in the King George.

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "He came out of the race fine. He just made that very bad mistake at the second fence and he was never able to recover from it. We'll certainly have a look at the Letheby & Christopher Chase (January 30) back at Cheltenham but if we miss that, he may go straight for the Gold Cup."

"People will say he can't go that way round but I wouldn't be worried about going right-handed with him again in the future. We'll have a good think about what we do next but a lot of it will be down to the weather."

Meanwhile his leading Champion Hurdle contender Khyber Kim remains firmly on course for a tilt at the totesport Trophy at Newbury next month.

The eight-year-old bounced back to form with a brilliant victory in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on his seasonal reappearance, and confirmed that was no flash in the pan with a similarly scintillating display in the Boylesports.com International.

Twiston-Davies said: "At the moment he's in good form and all being well he heads to Newbury. We've obviously been delighted with him so far this season, and you would have to say he has a very good chance in the Champion Hurdle."

He added: "He has already won twice at Cheltenham this season and he certainly shouldn't be underestimated."

An emphatic defeat of last season's Champion Hurdle runner-up Celestial Halo on his most recent run has earned Khyber Kim a career-high rating of 165, meaning he is likely to be asked to carry top-weight in the fiercely competitive handicap on February 13.

The Naunton handler may consider using a conditional jockey to offset some of his hefty burden, although any decision on that front is some way off. "We'll have a think about it but there is no rush and we'll wait to see how the race is shaping up before we decide anything," he said.

Twiston-Davies is also weighing up the options for Ballyfitz following his fine effort in defeat in the Welsh National at Chepstow.

Results in the first half of the season have been mixed for the ten-year-old as he finished a creditable fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, pulled up in the Hennessy Gold Cup, but then won over hurdles at Sandown.

A bad mistake cost him all chance of winning last week's marathon contest but he stayed on well enough up the straight to finish fifth to suggest there are other prizes to be won with him this season.

"He ran a good race. He made a bad mistake down the back but he stayed on well. The ground was very deep and, while he likes it soft, it was even too testing for him."

"We'll have a good think about where we go with him but we certainly aren't short of options. We could stay over fences or go back over hurdles, we'll just see what the weather does and then make a plan," he added.