Chris will do nicely at Exeter

PHILIP Hobbs believes Captain Chris will be fit enough to do himself justice when he has his first race since the spring in the Betfred Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter this afternoon.

The seven-year-old ended last term at the top of his game with Grade One wins in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham and the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown.

Hobbs has got as much work into the horse as he can given the recent dry spell ahead of his return under top weight in a field of seven for the Limited Handicap Chase over two miles one and a half furlongs.

“Richard Johnson came down on Saturday morning and both Captain Chris and Menorah schooled on grass for the first time this season as it has been so firm,” said the Minehead trainer. “We can do plenty of schooling on the Polytrack, that’s not a worry, but it’s nice to get some done on grass and both he and Menorah were really good.

“Everything’s gone really well with the preparation. The ground at Exeter is likely to be perfect – good, good to soft in places, I couldn’t wish for more.”

Meanwhile, Henrietta Knight is eyeing a third victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton after seeing Somersby make a most impressive return to action at the Sunbury track yesterday.

Knight saddled her triple Gold Cup hero Best Mate to land the Boxing Day feature in 2002 and followed up 12 months later as Edredon Bleu led his rivals a merry dance. Somersby has yet to reach the heights of those two but has shown top-class form over the last couple of seasons, only finishing out of the first three once since his last victory in December 2009.

Sent off the 4-6 favourite to beat the smart Aiteen Thirtythree and Gee Dee Nen in the Betfair Graduation Chase, Somersby jumped with aplomb in the hands of Dominic Elsworth, tracking his only serious rival into the straight for the final time. Aiteen Thirtythree led until the second last fence, but Somersby’s class shone through and he put the race to bed with a fine leap at the final obstacle. The seven-year-old passed the post with three lengths in hand over the Hennessy Gold Cup-bound runner-up. “It’s nice to see him back in the winner’s enclosure and he’s a much stronger horse this year,” said Knight. “He’s probably finally matured. It was a difficult year for him last year, but now he’s grown up.”