Henrietta Knight was out of luck with her first runner for over 11 years as Zettabyte finished unplaced at Wincanton.

Knight enjoyed tremendous success during her first spell with a licence, winning the Gold Cup at Cheltenham three times with Best Mate.

She was also responsible for Queen Mother Champion Chase and King George hero Edredon Bleu, the Stayers’ Hurdle with Karshi and Victor Chandler Chase (now Clarence House) with Somersby.

Having competed at the highest level of equestrianism before beginning her training career, Knight was always credited with being a great horsewoman and until recently several trainers have sent their horses to her for extensive schooling.

She had retired in 2012 but announced in November her intention to return and saddled her first runners at the Somerset venue.

While the seven-year-old Zettabyte, formerly with Gordon Elliott, failed to trouble the judge he did briefly suggest he might play a part in the finish suggesting there is something to work on for Knight.

The Start Your RacingTV Free Trial Now Handicap Hurdle was won by Anthony Charlton’s Ilanz (11-2).

Quilixios was much the best to take the BetVictor Irish EBF Novice Chase at Naas, in which the well-regarded Mister Policeman could only finish third.

The latter was the 8-15 favourite for Willie Mullins after winning both Irish starts in good style, including his chasing debut at Fairyhouse in November.

It was assumed there was more to come from him – but it was Henry de Bromhead’s 5-1 shot Quilixios, well beaten when last seen in the Florida Pearl, who moved with most menace in the five-runner field.

On the turn from home Rachael Blackmore pulled clear and was chased but never threatened by Gordon Elliott’s Sa Fureur, as Mister Policeman was a remote third after struggling from some way out.

“He was really good, jumped brilliant, travelled well and we couldn’t have really asked for any more,” De Bromhead said of the former Triumph Hurdle hero.

“He jumped a bit right in Limerick (chase debut) and we were concerned about that, but no sign of it here.

“He has loads of gears and is a Triumph Hurdle winner. He’s a class horse.

“We got the trip wrong the last day. He wouldn’t blow you away with speed at home, but those good two-milers have such a high cruising speed. Sizing Europe was the same and so was Special Tiara.

“He’s in the Irish Arkle, but we’ll speak with everyone at Cheveley (Park Stud, owners) and see where we go.

“I’d say he’ll have to go to the Arkle (at Cheltenham) now.”

Betfair halved Quilixios’ odds for Cheltenham, making him 25-1 for the Arkle from a previous price of 50-1.

Kerry Lee is relishing the chance to step Nemean Lion up in trip in Kempton’s Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle.

The seven-year-old has been a consistent performer for the Bell House handler and, following an encouraging novice campaign, won the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his reappearance before running with credit in the Greatwood.

However, having shown staying prowess on the Flat and also finding the scoresheet over an extended two-and-a-quarter miles at Kelso during his novice season, Lee has decided now is the time to try Nemean Lion’s hand over further.

She said: “It’s very exciting and as a Flat horse back in the day, he was a winner over staying trips and he was second in the Group Two Prix Chaudenay on heavy ground over two miles at Longchamp. On that basis, you have to assume he will get a trip.

“Possibly his best run to date was in a Grade Two at Kelso last spring, where he did all his best work at the end of the race and that was over two-and-a-quarter miles. This is only another couple of furlongs and there is no reason to doubt he will stay.

“He’s only just turned seven and I think Golden Horn horses are a little bit slower to mature than some, so he might just be coming into his prime.”

A quick look against Nemean Lion’s name will show entries for both the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

However, those lofty ambitions are firmly on the back burner for the time being, with Lee appreciating her stable star faces yet another stern challenge in the Kempton feature.

She added: “He’s got some crazy Cheltenham Festival entries in the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle just in case things go exceptionally well, but I think you have to treat this kind of race with the respect it deserves and there are a lot of good horses in here.

“You’ve got a Betfair Hurdle winner (Aucunrisque) in there and Sonigino, who won well at Aintree before Christmas, not to mention Nicky Henderson’s runners – and it’s a very hot race.

“But Nemean Lion is a great horse and, off 140, we’re actually pleased not to be carrying top-weight for once. He’s a great horse to have and a lot of fun. He’s in rude health and has been ready to run for three weeks or so now and we’ve hung on to him until we got the ground we want for him.”

Nicky Henderson has won the Lanzarote four times in the past and saddles progressive pair Impose Toi and King Alexander in search of victory number five.

The former was only a neck away from registering a hat-trick when mistakes at the final two flights of hurdles ultimately stopped him reeling in stablemate Luccia, but now has the chance to gain some compensation and is the big-race favourite with the sponsors.

“He ran a cracker at Ascot and just missed the last two a little bit,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.

“He was probably a little bit unlucky, but this is a nice race for him and Nicky is very happy with him. We’ll learn a bit more about him and we’re looking forward to it and hoping for the best.”

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is also double-handed, with Ditcheat number one Harry Cobden electing to ride impressive Aintree scorer Sonigino and Bryony Frost taking the reins aboard Irish Hill.

“The Lanzarote has been the plan for Sonigino from the moment he bolted in at Aintree early last month,” Nicholls told Betfair when assessing the seven-year-old’s chances.

“He has progressed nicely this season and was well suited by stepping back up in trip at Aintree, where he looked like the winner a long way from home.

“The key to his improvement is that he is settling better in his races with experience. He was raised 6lb after Aintree and will not find things easy under top weight.”

It has been some time since Up For Parol has found the scoresheet, but Jamie Snowden’s eight-year-old made the podium in this race 12 months ago after being sixth in 2022 and now tries to make it third time lucky off an ever-decreasing mark.

Snowden said: “He’s run in this race the last two years and was only beaten eight lengths off a mark of 133 a couple of years ago and was third in it last year off 129, and he comes in it here off 126.

“We would have appreciated a little bit softer ground perhaps but he’s in good order and fingers crossed he can run a decent race.”

Joe Anderson hit the headlines with his miraculous recovery at Plumpton recently and now rekindles what has previously been a successful partnership with Neil Mulholland’s Mothill.

The six-year-old struck at Uttoxeter in the hands of Anderson in the spring and, after a pair of outings on the Flat, was ridden by Jonjo O’Neill Jr when hosing up at Sedgefield on Boxing Day.

“I would say that he has got a good old chance,” said Anderson. “It is a super competitive race, and he will have to step up again, but he is a progressive young horse that has the right sort of profile for a race like this, as he is a strong traveller that stays very well.

“He went up five pounds for his last win, but my claim takes care of that, and he did it nicely up at Sedgefield.

“He got the job done at Uttoxeter and then he was good at Sedgefield the other day. He hasn’t really raced in a big field, but this race should suit him and he is a horse going the right way.”

Ramses De Teillee will attempt to go one better than 12 months ago when the veterans get the chance to shine at Warwick on Saturday.

The Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase was the headline attraction on last weekend’s abandoned Sandown card, but all is not lost for some of the sport’s most popular warriors, with the race rerouted to the Midlands with a first-prize of £38,580 on offer.

David Pipe claimed the first ever running of this event with Soll in 2016 and came close to adding to his tally 12 months ago as Ramses De Teillee failed to reel in Mel Rowley’s shock scorer Wishing And Hoping.

Correcting the record has been top of the agenda ever since and having been kept fresh for the contest, a stroke of fortune sees the race take place at a venue where the gallant grey has impressed in the past.

“It’s great that they have rescheduled it and it is a very popular race,” said Pipe.

“This has been the plan all season and he’s in good form and won round Warwick last year so we know he handles the track.

“He goes well fresh which is a positive and we’re looking forward to it. It would be lovely if he could go one better this year and he’s in flying form at home.”

There is a stacked field of 16 heading to the start of this three-mile event but none arrive in better form than Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Good Boy Bobby, who pounced late to prevail against Aye Right at Chepstow before adding to his tally at Sandown.

Now owned by Dash Grange Stud, the 11-year-old will bid for a hat-trick in first-time cheekpieces which connections hope will help him negotiate the early stages of the contest.

“Bobby has been brilliant this year and this has been the target since Jayne McGivern (of Dash Grange Stud) bought him and kindly sent him back to us,” said Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father.

“He’s wearing cheekpieces because it is going to be a bigger field and a lot more competitive than his last two, so hopefully it will help him get a good start and travel over the first few.

“He looks in very, very good form at home and the track and trip will be perfect and we’re expecting another bold bid.”

Venetia Williams’ Cepage and Olly Murphy’s Thomas Darby both arrive having tasted victory in their most recent outing.

The latter, who was fourth in the Chepstow event won by Good Boy Bobby on his return, took a good step forward to deny the reopposing Mill Green over track and trip and possesses a touch of class that could see him thrive even at this late stage of his career.

“He’s in good form and this has been the race we have targeted ever since he won at Warwick the last day and we’re looking forward to running him,” said Murphy.

“He has course-and-distance form and fingers crossed he will have a good chance in a competitive race.

“It will be his first run in what would be a really big-field competitive handicap over fences, but for his age I think he is pretty unexposed over the larger obstacles.”

Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s Aye Right has had to settle for minor honours behind both Good Boy Bobby and Thomas Darby so far this term.

The consistent 11-year-old will be partnered by the talented 7lb conditional Dylan Johnston as Graham and Rutherford seek to further reduce Aye Right’s burden and connections dream of landing a first victory since the 2021 Rehearsal Chase.

“We made the decision to put a 7lb claimer on because he is not a big horse and we have always felt the handicapper has never really relented on him and we just thought we should try it,” said Graham.

“Dylan is one of the good up-and-coming conditionals, so we thought we would give it a go and we’re quite excited about it.

“The handicapper has let him off a little bit but it’s taken a lot of asking. Even to qualify for the race, because the qualifiers are 0-150 and he was 154 I think, I had to get the handicapper to drop us so we could qualify.

“He has relented slightly, but when you compare him to Good Boy Bobby who beat us at Chepstow and we beat him two years ago in the Rehearsal, I think he has been a lot more lenient with him and he’s never gone up to the same extent that Aye Right ever went off.

“We know Aye Right always runs an honest race and because of his front-running style, he’s hardly hiding, but it’s great to have a horse like that.”

Fellow northern raider Top Ville Ben went close at Aintree on Boxing Day and is another heading into the race with good form to his name, with Emma Lavelle’s De Rasher Counter and Richard Hobson’s Lord Du Mesnil others to make the podium prior to this.

Meanwhile, set to shoulder top-weight is Kim Bailey’s Two For Gold, with the handler thrilled to give his high-class staying chaser the chance to compete amongst his fellow elder statesman.

“It’s a very competitive race and the poor old chap has to carry top-weight,” said Bailey.

“If he finished in the first four I would be thrilled to be quite honest, but having said that he seems in a very good place.

“Veterans’ races are very popular and I’m a big supporter of them.”

Connections of Jonbon are excited about the prospect of again locking horns with El Fabiolo, with the Clarence House Chase now just over a week away.

The Ascot Grade One was nominated as the next target by both camps after winning their pre-Christmas assignments and neither team is backing down from the challenge just yet, with the two major players of the two-mile chasing division poised to clash for a third time.

It was Nicky Henderson’s charge who gained the upper hand at Aintree in the duo’s novice hurdling days, but El Fabiolo excelled during a novice chasing campaign that saw Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old claim Grade One glory at the Dublin, Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.

With the scoreline locked at one each, many thought the rubber match would come in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but now the scene seems set for a repeat of Energumene’s titanic clash with Shishkin in early 2022, with the Jonbon camp relishing a blockbuster showdown.

“The horse is in great form, Nicky is very happy with him and we’re all looking forward to the race,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.

“It should be a cracking race and we’re looking forward to it.”

All has gone swimmingly for Jonbon so far this term and having returned with a dazzling display in Cheltenham’s Shloer Chase, he showed he has the ability to grind out results when conditions are against him when producing a gritty performance to win the Tingle Creek last month.

Jonbon was ridden in both of those victories by Nico de Boinville, but with the Seven Barrows number one on the sidelines with a collarbone injury and former partner Aidan Coleman still recovering from the serious knee injury suffered last summer, the eight-year-old is likely to have a new man in the saddle for the Clarence House.

James Bowen has proved a more than able deputy aboard the Henderson string in De Boinville’s absence, but Berry says no jockey decision has been made yet for Jonbon with the trainer set to have crucial input.

He added: “I’m not sure at the moment (who will ride) and we’ll leave that up to Nicky.”

Gavin Cromwell’s Malina Girl will seek to overcome a top-weight burden in the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

The classy mare was a faller last time when going well in a valuable Cheltenham handicap, prior to which she was victorious in the Jewson Handicap Chase at the same track in November.

The seven-year-old will shoulder 12st in what is invariably a gruelling affair, though conditional rider Conor Stone-Walsh can ease that slightly with his claim.

Cromwell – who has enjoyed plenty of success in his raids across the Irish Sea this season – said: “Top-weight is not ideal and she is quite a small mare so Conor Stone-Walsh is going to claim 5lb and give her every chance.

“She seemed to be going well last time, but it was too early to say (if she would have won).

“The trip won’t be a problem and she stays well. She seems in good order so hopefully gives a good account of herself. ”

Nigel Twiston-Davies will be represented in the contest by Beauport, second on his most recent outing when seeming to return to form in the London National Handicap Chase at Sandown.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father, said: “It has always looked like there would be a big pot in him and the trip will suit him well. The ground will be spot on and we’re very excited and looking forward to running him.

“He won some very nice races as a novice over hurdles and the Colin Parker over fences, but last year just didn’t fall right for him, so hopefully there is a nice one in him this year.

“He has slipped down to a very handy mark which hopefully he will be very competitive off.”

Charlie Longsdon has long had this meeting in mind for Guetapan Collonges, third in the Cheltenham contest won by Malina Girl and fourth in this race last season.

“This race has been the plan for Guetapan Collonges for some time,” the Chipping Norton trainer said.

“We thought about going for a race at Cheltenham during the Christmas meeting but then we thought we would wait for this.

“He is a lot more experienced compared to this time 12 months ago when I thought we were right in the deep end.

“Although he had won at Warwick the time before he had only had a handful of races over fences against small fields and he was very much a second season-chaser that was still very inexperienced.

“Since last year’s race he has run in the Midlands National and a big handicap chase around Cheltenham. He is a lot more experienced now and a lot more streetwise.”

Paul Nicholls runs Broken Halo, a nine-year-old who looks to put behind him a fall in the London National.

“He bounced back to form with victories in two races for military riders at Sandown in the spring and was running another sound race at the same track six weeks ago when he fell three from home,” the trainer said via Betfair.

“I was surprised to see him going so well until then because I didn’t think he was ready. Broken Halo needed a bit of time to recover from quite a heavy fall that day, but he is fine now and has done plenty of schooling.”

Elsewhere in the field are Dan Skelton’s Galia Des Liteaux, the winner and runner-up of two Listed mares’ chase this season, and Nicky’s Henderson City Chief, fourth in the Jewson Handicap Chase and fifth in the handicap in which Malina Girl fell.

Venetia Williams runs Fontaine Collonges, the Rowland Meyrick winner at Wetherby on Boxing Day, and Sheila Lewis will saddle the grey stayer Volcano, fifth here last season.

Track And Trace played a starring role in a Catterick treble for trainer Jonjo O’Neill and jockey Richie McLernon with victory in the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National.

While the Jackdaws Castle handler recalled booting home plenty of winners at Catterick during his illustrious riding career, he is a rare visitor these days, so punters should perhaps have taken note of his presence at the North Yorkshire track’s flagship jumps meeting of the year.

“I can’t remember the last time I was here, to be honest, it will be a while ago,” he said.

“It was a lucky track for me as a jockey, I rode plenty of winners around here, and it’s been a lucky track all round really. It’s a nice little track really and the facilities are really nice now.”

Having struck gold in the previous two races with Time For A Pint and Hasthing respectively, Track And Trace was a 7-2 favourite to provide his trainer and jockey with a third win in little over an hour in the near £21,000 feature and ultimately got the job done in fine style.

After travelling well for much of the three-mile-five-furlong contest, the lightly-raced seven-year-old took over the running with three fences to jump and stuck to his guns on the run-in to beat Crixus’s Escape by two and a quarter lengths, with Court At Slip just a neck further behind in third.

“He jumps well and I was gambling on him staying, but I thought he would and it just went the right way,” said O’Neill.

“He made a couple of little errors, but he hopped away grand. It’s a long trip and he was probably getting a bit tired at the end.

“Hopefully he can move up the ladder a little bit. We’re looking forward to him going forward.”

Time For A Pint justified 3-1 favouritism in the Download Raceday Ready Today Novices’ Handicap Chase, before Hasthing knuckled down to make it two from two over obstacles as a 10-11 shot in the Friends Of Kiplin Hall/EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The latter finished third in the Grade Two Aintree bumper last spring and is now likely to have his sights raised.

O’Neill added: “He’s a big old boy isn’t he – he has a leg in every county!

“He jumped much better today to be fair, it’s more experience and he’s learning all the time. Hopefully he can keep going forward.

“He’s qualified now (for the EBF Final), so we’ll see how he comes out of it, have a chat with Frank (Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus) and see where we go from there.”

Brucio (11-4 favourite) barely broke sweat when opening her account in the opening Watch Racing TV Now Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.

Carrying the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the Irish raider was a solitary ride on the card for leading jockey Daryl Jacob, who was securing only his second ever Catterick winner.

He said of the Stuart Crawford-trained winner: “She felt good there today and she’s relished the ground. It was a very weak mares’ maiden, the ground was right and everything fell into place for her.

“The more I’ve ridden her the more she’s starting to get the hang of things. She’s a slow burner and hopefully with a summer’s break we might see her improve a little bit more.”

The Sue Smith-trained It’s Maisy (7-2) followed up last month’s Market Rasen victory in the Racingtv.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle under Nick Schofield, profiting from the final-flight exit of likely winner Minniemum.

Tristan Davidson and Harry Reed combined to land the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle with 15-2 chance Shantou Moon, while the concluding Racing Again 24th January Handicap Hurdle went to Freddy Robinson (100-30), trained by Brian Ellison and ridden by 7lb claimer William Maggs.

Officials at Wincanton are delighted to play host to Henrietta Knight’s return to the training ranks – but are keeping their fingers crossed the track passes an early Friday morning inspection.

The 77-year-old is best known for the Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning exploits of Best Mate in the early 2000s but has been missing from the training fraternity since handing in her licence in 2012.

However, she announced her plans to end that 12-year hiatus late last year and is set to saddle two runners on the Wincanton card as she begins the new chapter of her decorated career in racing alongside right-hand man Brendan Powell.

Knight is of course no stranger to Wincanton saddling 42 winners from 262 runners during her previous time as a trainer, with her Champion Chase and King George hero Edredon Bleu a winner on four of his five visits to the Somerset track.

“It’s a big day and it’s a testament to their trust in Wincanton to come over and we’re excited,” said clerk of the course Daniel Cooper.

“We heard rumours last week that it could be the case and when we raced on Saturday I asked Brendan Powell and he confirmed it was going to be here.

“It’s lovely and we will look forward to showing Henrietta we are just how she would remember us in the past and we’re a new team here now so it will be good to try to carry on that trust.

“It will be great to have Henrietta and Brendan’s presence here, they are two great figures in racing.”

But before Knight has the chance to enter the saddling boxes to prepare her runners for action, the course will have to pass an 8.30am inspection with Cooper concerned about the prospect of frost affecting areas of the course.

Cooper added: “At the moment (Thursday afternoon) I would be calling this 95 per cent raceable and there are three areas that are frozen in places, so I’m just hoping they improve, and if the forecast temperatures are to be believed, they will improve and we will be OK.

“My god it’s close but things are 95 per cent at Wincanton, but the concern is tonight it freezes again and we arrive to a problem again in the morning.

“I’m not able to do any more than that and it’s a completely precarious situation still, but things are much better now than when I walked the course this morning – I’m convinced it’s better.

“We are going to be having an 8.30am inspection and we want to see a bit of daylight and see what it looks like and if we have to push it back in the morning, we will carry on doing so if we think we will see improvement.

“Everyone wants to race and it is set to be a great day, but we will only do so if it is fit, so we keep our fingers crossed.”

All In You will head to Kempton on Saturday in a bid to replicate a neat Fontainebleau success as part of a renewed team for owner-jockey David Maxwell.

Maxwell owns a string of horses and rides on an amateur licence, with his most recent successes in the saddle including Joker De Mai in a Lingfield handicap, Queensbury Boy in a Chepstow bumper and All In You’s Fontainebleau win.

The latter horse is trained by French-based Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm and will now cross the Channel to contest a juvenile hurdle at Kempton after a neat victory on home turf in mid-December was added to a prior win on the Flat.

The four-year-old was purchased by French agent Guy Petit after his racecourse debut and changed hands and stables having previously been trained by Stephanie Nigge.

“I bought him privately, I can’t even remember how much I gave for him as I tend to blank it out of my mind as a distasteful experience!” said Maxwell.

“He’d won a Flat race and Guy reckoned he looked the business. Sure enough, when he won first time he was the business.

“He jumped straightforwardly and he’s got a bit of a turn of foot, he’s really nice.”

George and Zetterholm hit a significant career milestone at Kempton when their stable flag bearer Il Est Francais won the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day, giving them a natural inclination to return to the track.

“I didn’t really have a plan, I just thought he was a nice horse and he went to Noel who said ‘let’s just run him’,” Maxwell said.

“I was probably going to bring him over here but then they ran him and he won, then Noel said ‘let’s send him to Kempton’ because Noel likes coming over to Kempton now for obvious reasons!

“Nothing has come out of that race in France yet so I don’t know if it was an egg and spoon race or if it was decent, but he did it well.

“We’ll see after we run him what sort of horse we have, he’s only a baby.”

All In You is one of a number of nice prospects Maxwell has sourced from the point-to-point field and the French circuit, bringing in younger horses as the older campaigners he is associated with hit their veteran years.

He said: “I’ve restocked, Noel Fehily and David Crosse have been buying Irish pointers for me and Guy Petit has been buying horses in France.

“They’re a nice bunch of young horses, you’ve just got to be patient with them and let them grow and mature and risk the urge to play with the shiny new toys.”

Seasoned chasers such as Bob And Co, Saint Calvados, Cat Tiger and Simply The Betts have been good servants for Maxwell in recent years, but the sad fate of the latter has affirmed his approach of enjoying his horses with few fixed plans.

He said: “I’ll just be led by them, you can’t make plans with horses and I’ll give you an example.

“I laid out a plan for the last 18 months that Simply The Betts was going to win the Foxhunters this year. A Cheltenham specialist, he’s a two-and-a-half-miler but with his age he’ll get the trip, he’s eligible for hunter chasing this year.

“He was going to go to Kelso next week to open his account in a hunter chase and he died last week from colic, we did all we could for him.

“It’s a microcosm of life and sadly it happens. That’s why you can’t really plan, you’ve just got to enjoy it and keep smiling.

“We’ll hopefully stay happy, stay healthy and win some races, that’s the plan, and just keep enjoying it.”