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Monkerhostin Given Merit Target

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Philip Hobbs is hoping Monkerhostin can win Saturday's Aon Chase at Newbury to regain the lead in the British Horseracing Board's Order of Merit.

The nine-year-old just needs to finish in the first four in order to overtake Royal Shakespeare at the top of the leaderboard.

'The Order of Merit is a great initiative to reward horses who perform consistently at the highest level,' said Hobbs.

'It has been part of Monkerhostin's plan this season and we are hoping to regain the lead at the weekend in the Aon Chase.'

Monkerhostin, 5-4 favourite with bookmakers Stan James to succeed last year's winner Inglis Drever, was only beaten a neck by Kicking King in the King George VI Chase at Sandown.

The Aon will be his final race before next month's totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which he is 9-2 favourite with the sponsors.

? PA Sport

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