Norman Williamson today decided to ride gambled-on Irish challenger Back On Top the £100,000 Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury.
Williamson frequently rides for Venetia Williams - he won the King George VI Chase at Kempton aboard Teeton Mill for her last season - and his name had been linked with that trainer's Crocadee in Saturday's race.
But he has elected to partner John Hassett's Back On Top, who was backed from 25-1 into 8-1 with Coral on Tuesday.
"I've decided to ride Back On Top in the hope that he will get over from Ireland as the weather forecast is not that brilliant," Williamson said.
"He won two decent handicap hurdles in Ireland last year and though he hasn't run for a while I'm told he's on good form."
This is not the first time this season that Williamson has been faced with a difficult choice of rides before a big race.
In last month's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot he decided to ride Howard Johnson's Direct Route, rather than eventual winner Nordance Prince (trained by Venetia Williams).
Williamson later expanded on his decision to ride Back On Top in Saturday's two-mile race.
He told the Racing Channel: "He's a decent horse and he's a handicapper and I think that's the main reason why I have gone for him rather than Crocadee.
"Crocadee is also very good but he is a novice. I also think Crocadee is possibly better over two and a half. He has a high cruising speed but whether he will have the kick for two we'll have to wait and see.
"He will be very good and he'll be a top-class chaser but on the day I feel the other horse might have the more experience."
Brian Crowley will ride Crocadee as long as Williamson is required for Back On Top on Saturday.
Miss Williams said: 'Depending on whether the other horse comes over from Ireland, Brian Crowley will ride Crocadee if Norman is unavailable.'
The Nicky Henderson-trained Geos has become the latest horse to attract good support for the race prompting Coral to trim his odds to 6-1 from 7-1 and ease his stablemate Blue Royal out to 6-1 from 5-1.
"Blue Royal has been friendless in the betting since his promotion to top weight on Monday, while Geos has been steadily backed since then," reported Coral spokesman Simon Clare.
Coral bet: 10-3 Mr Lamb, 6-1 Blue Royal, Geos, 8-1 Heart, Doctor Goddard, Back On Top, 9-1 Crazy Horse, 10-1 Crocadee, 12-1 Copeland, 14-1 Auetaler, 16-1 Rainbow Frontier, Native Dara, Hit And Run, 20-1 Bar.
William Hill: 3-1 Mr Lamb, 5-1 Blue Royal, 7-1 Doctor Goddard, Geos, 8-1 Back On Top, Heart, 10-1 Crazy Horse, 12-1 Crocadee, 14-1 Copeland, 16-1 Auetaler, Hit And Run, Native Dara, 20-1 Bar.
