somersby - to run in the ryan air ???

Drying ground at Cheltenham has renewed the possibility that Sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase third favourite Somersby might be switched to the longer Ryanair Chase.

The seven-year-old, a close second to Sizing Europe in last year's Irish Independent Arkle Chase, is as short as 6-1 for next Wednesday's Champion Chase, in which previous winners Master Minded and Big Zeb dominate the betting, and he is barely quoted for the following afternoon's Ryanair, although Totesport offer 10-1.


The Champion Chase has looked the likelier target since Somersby ran Master Minded to a short head in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot in January.

Trainer Henrietta Knight is in no rushto make a decision, but she issued a clear warning to punters when she said: "As the ground is drying out I'm not discarding the Ryanair Chase for Somersby.

"Against Master Minded in the Tingle Creek at Cheltenham when it was only good to soft he couldn't lie up over two miles. He was able to lay up over two miles at Ascot because the ground was softer.

"On quicker ground the Queen Mother might be the wrong race for him, and now that Riverside Theatre is out the Ryanair is looking a little weaker than it was.

"I'm worried about Somersby's jumping at speed early on in the Queen Mother if it continues drying out. Once he gets organised he's fine, but he needs a little time overthose early fences to get himself organised