Racing: Promise finishes last but stable keeps faith

STRONG PROMISE was said yesterday to be still on course for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on 27 December as connections put on a brave face following his flop at Huntingdon on Saturday.

The Geoff Hubbard-trained gelding, second to Cool Dawn in the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup, had his first run over fences for 19 months in the Peterborough Chase. But the eight-year-old failed to show his old sparkle and finished last of the four runners behind Edredon Bleu.

Hubbard's assistant, Chris Kinane, said: "All the early indications are that he's fine. "He ate up last night and he's bright and breezy this morning."

Edredon Bleu, who was winning the Grade Two event for the second successive year, remains a possible for the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on 4 December.

Henrietta Knight, his trainer, was at Aintree yesterday and reported that the French-bred was in good form following his victory, saying: "He's grand - you wouldn't think he's had a race.''