Mate heads straight to King George

Best Mate is to tackle three miles for the first time in the Stg£150,000 Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, it has been revealed today.

Trainer Henrietta Knight announced the bold decision to go straight for the mid-season three-mile championship after talks with owner Jim Lewis.

It had been mooted that the highly-rated six-year-old would try the longer trip for the first time in the Future Stars Chase over an extended three miles at Sandown on Friday. That plan has now been scrapped.

'He`ll go for the King George, the Sandown race is too close to Kempton,' said the Wantage trainer.

'It is an easy three miles at Kempton. If he is not going to get the trip there he is not going to get it anywhere.

'And it will tell us which direction we will go at Cheltenham.'

But she believes the longer distance will suit Best Mate, who put up one of the best handicap performances for years when failing by just half-a-length to give 24lb to Wahiba Sands in the First National Gold Cup over two miles three and a half furlongs last month.

'I think three miles is what he wants,' she said.

Best Mate is 7-2 second favourite with Coral for the Christmas spectacular. Favourite at 13-8 is last year`s winner, the French-trained First Gold.

He was third on his seasonal debut over hurdles at Newbury on Saturday.

And the sponsors go 9-1 Best Mate for the Tote Gold Cup over three miles two-and-a-quarter furlongs at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Jim Culloty, who rode Best Mate at Ascot and when he landed an impressive win at Exeter on his only other previous start this season, faces a race against time to be fit for Kempton after breaking a bone in his arm at Taunton last week.

'There is a slender possibility that Jim will be fit to ride, but if not we will see if Tony McCoy is available. He rides a lot for Jim (Lewis).

McCoy, who gave Wahiba Sands a vintage ride to eclipse Best Mate at Ascot, partners Edredon Bleu for Lewis andKnight in the Mitsubshi Shogun Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown on Saturday.

Miss Knight may run Be My Manager in the Future Stars Chase there on Friday instead of Best Mate but he is also in the Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow the following day.

And the Wantage trainer has yet to decide whether Returning goes to the Esher track on Saturday for the Extraman Trophy Novices` Chase or the Harry Dutfield Memorial Novices` Chase at Exeter on Friday.

The five-year-old mare is unbeaten in three races over fences at Exeter, Taunton and Sandown.