Knight remains hopeful split with Lewis is temporary

The pair became familiar partners as Best Mate carried Lewis' colours to three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups at the start of the decade.

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But it emerged over the weekend that Oumeyade had been moved from the Wantage trainer, leaving all four of Lewis' remaining horses in training with Paul Nicholls.

With cruel timing, Calgary Bay, the gelding Knight has called her new Best Mate, was beaten into third by the Lewis-owned Breedsbreeze in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

Lewis, who claimed that he is willing to consider any new talent unearthed by Knight, now faces an emotional return to the Cheltenham Festival with the gelding who is disputing favouritism for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle.

Knight, who has clearly been disappointed by developments, said: "It would be nice to go on where we left off. I don't like having any illfeeling anywhere. To give Jim his due, we've always got on and never had any disagreements verbally. It was just rather sad when he took his last horse away and he's got nothing left.

"He likes his point-to-point horses and if we could find a really good one we would tell him about it."

Calgary Bay is unlikely to race again before the Festival but stablemate Racing Demon, the King George VI Chase fourth, may switch to hurdles for his next run.

He fell when favourite for the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton last year but will not be entered for that race again on Saturday.

Instead Knight is considering a hurdle at Ascot on February 16 rather than take on Kauto Star in the Grade One Commercial First Chase at the track the same day.

Clive Smith, owner of Kauto Star, has a useful support act with Sandown winner Master Minded who will be aimed at either the Champion or Ryanair Chase.

A trial in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury next month will reveal whether those Festival aspirations are realistic or not.