Exciting novice chaser Best Mate will take a midwinter break before being prepared for the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham.
Trainer Henrietta Knight will bring the five-year-old back into action for just one race in the New Year as a prep for the Festival.
Best Mate proved himself to be one of the best chasing recruits seen so far this campaign when following up his debut win over fences with an 18-length romp at Cheltenham last Saturday.
'He`s only a young horse and I don`t want to give him a hard time,' said Knight.
'If we give him one more outing before Cheltenham he will have run in three chases and that will be quite enough.'
Meanwhile, Knight confirmed that Edredon Bleu, the winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase last March, is in good shape ahead of his reappearance on Saturday in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.
Edredon Bleu, off the track since finishing third at Punchestown in May, is bidding to win the Huntingdon contest for the third year in a row.
