New Target For Demon

Connections of Racing Demon are mulling their options after withdrawing the highly-rated six-year-old from his intended engagement at Ludlow.

His absence cast a shadow over the Concha Y Toro Wines Novices´ Chase, which went to odds-on favourite Taranis, who just got the better of the determined Dickensbury Lad.

But trainer Henrietta Knight was adamant the correct decision had been taken.

'It takes five minutes to ruin a horse and years to get one up the ladder,' she told the crowd over the course´s public address system.

'I do feel awful for the people who have come here to see him and I´m likely to be lynched as I leave, but please accept my reasons.

'I can assure you the horse is fine and I would invite you all over to the stables if you were allowed.

'But I am not prepared to risk him on ground that I consider to be good to firm or even quicker in places along the back straight.'

Knight said she had walked the course during the first race and shown the owners the section of the track about which she had her concerns before making the decision to withdraw the horse.

'He needs more experience before he goes to Cheltenham, but today wasn´t the day,' she said.

'People must think I am a terrible wimp and maybe I did just lose my bottle again, but it is definitely firm over there and the owners understand I am not going to take any chances.'

Racing Demon, the 5-1 favourite with William Hill for Cheltenham´s Arkle Chase, has now missed several planned engagements since Christmas as connections search for the right opportunity.

But Knight´s husband, Terry Biddlecombe, pinpointed a race at Uttoxeter next Wednesday, the Black Tulip Novices´ Chase over two miles, as a possible target.

'It might be soft ground, but he doesn´t mind soft,' he said.

'Why go and jar one up for no reason? Look at Sandown and what happened to Kicking King. You jar them up and you´ve got no horse for the future.

'Where I walked, I would have said it was good to firm - it´s as simple as that.

'They have got new ground over there and you can´t get your heel in.'

(C) PA Sport