Somersby, the star of Henrietta Knight’s West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, could sidestep another clash with Master Minded in Saturday’s Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.

The seven-year-old finished third to Paul Nicholls’s former dual two-mile champion chaser in the rerouted Tingle Creek Chase at Cheltenham last month.

But Knight said Somersby may not renew rivalry as he could instead wait for a graduation chase at Kempton on Friday, February 11.