RACING NEWS: Best Mate's full-brother, Inca Trail, will make his British debut at Cheltenham this weekend as one of about a dozen runners his trainer Henrietta Knight hopes to have at the prestigious three-day Open meeting.
The clear-cut winner of a bumper at Naas on his only start so far, Inca Trail has been sent by his Irish owners to be trained at the same stable as his illustrious brother.
After his engagement in Sunday's Betfair Open Bumper - a race Best Mate himself won in 1999 - Inca Trail is then likely to go hurdling because of his age.
Knight explained: "He's a six-year-old so he'll probably have just this one run in a bumper and then go hurdling.
"Inca Trail is Best Mate's full-brother - he's a different colour but has many similar characteristics. He's not quite so strong behind but the physical similarity is there.
"He seems to possess plenty of ability. He's still owned by Peter Curling and Philip Myerscough who fancied having a horse trained in England. They still have horses with Edward O'Grady."
Best Mate will bid to complete back-to-back victories - a feat last achieved by L'Escargot in 1970 and 1971 - when he lines up for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March.
• Ruby Walsh rode a double at Fontwell yesterday on the Paul Nicholls-trained pair Moving Earth and Ask The Natives.
