Ever Blessed set for return

Ever Blessed, who has been sidelined since being injured when pulled up in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup over 20 months ago, may reappear in the Tote John Hughes Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow on Saturday.

The eight-year-old had won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury two years ago on his previous start after beginning that season with victory at Chepstow.

'He`s in the Rehearsal Chase and could run there. We might wait for the Tommy Whittle at Haydock,' trainer Mark Pitman told the Racing Channel today.

'We are still a little bit undecided where we`re going at the moment.'

However, the Upper Lambourn trainer plans to run his smart hurdler Hitman in the December Maiden Hurdle on the Chepstow card.

'The chances are he`ll run,' Pitman added. 'Obviously the ground might change our mind, but I`m very anxious to get him on the course. He`s been working very well and he`s in a maiden hurdle.

'The horse is rated 150 - I should think he`s probably the highest-rated maiden in the country at the moment.

'If it all went well and he came out of the race well he could well go for the Bula Hurdle (at Cheltenham) the following Saturday.'

On stable star Monsignor, who missed the whole of last season through injury, Pitman said: 'We`ve made no plans for him at the moment. I was half-tempted to run him at Newbury last Saturday in that three-mile hurdle race that First Gold ran in, but we changed our minds.

'Anyway, no news is good news.

'We have been held up in Lambourn. It`s been very dry. But we have had some rain now and we schooled 40 on Friday and we`ll be schooling the same amount tomorrow.'