Edredon could head for Sandown

Edredon Bleu could have one more run before the he bids to defend his Champion Chase crown, trainer Henrietta Knight revealed today.

Her admirable nine-year-old landed the BBA Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon for a remarkable fourth successive time yesterday and connections` initial thoughts were to put him away until Cheltenham in March.

But Miss Knight reports both Edredon Bleu and Best Mate, who ran so well under a massive weight at Ascot, to be in 'very good shape' this morning.

'That was the immediate reaction,' she said. 'But there is just a chance that if it stayed dry and the race cut up a bit that he could go for the Tingle Creek (at Sandown on December 8).

'It`s quite close, only two weeks, but he`s only had one race this year. Normally he`s had two _ in the old days he used to go to Exeter first.

'I think he`s as good as ever. He`s a wonderful horse and always raises everybody`s spirits _ he`s got a good following now. He`s like a pony to look at, not very big.'

Best Mate lost his unbeaten record over fences when going down by just half a length to Wahiba Sands in the First National Gold Cup.

But he was conceding 20lb to the winner and lost nothing in defeat.

'He ran a super race,' Miss Knight said. 'He`s still quite an inexperienced horse racewise. He`s only a six-year-old.

'If he`s okay, I think he will go to Sandown for the intermediate chase (over three miles on December 7) _ I think Bacchanal is going there too. That`s still the plan.'

The trainer also had news of Returning, who recorded her fourth consecutive success when flooring odds-on Bounce Back at Ascot.

'She`s an incredible mare, she keeps surprising us,' she added. 'We keep saying we are going to give her a rest but she is pulling everyone around the yard this morning! She wants to go again somewhere.'