Gary Moore keeping chase U-turn option open for enigmatic Goshen due to lack of suitable opportunities

Trainer Gary Moore is contemplating going back on his word and running enigmatic stable stalwart Goshen over fences at some stage this season, although he emphasised that the ground would need to be "knee-deep" for the seven-year-old to have another tilt at chasing.

Goshen has twice before run over fences during his colourful career, finishing 65 lengths behind the winner on his first chase start at Ascot last October and trailing in last of three, beaten 23 lengths, in a beginners' chase at Lingfield the following January.

Moore vowed to never again run Goshen over fences after the second of those defeats but with opportunities to run over hurdles few and far between, the trainer could be tempted to give chasing one last shot this winter.

"I've told everybody that he won't go chasing again but if it was knee-deep in mud around Lingfield or somewhere, I'd still give it another go over a trip," said the Grade 1-winning trainer.

Goshen was well fancied for last Saturday's Cesarewitch on the Flat but weakened badly from four furlongs out to be beaten 40 lengths behind The Shunter, having been close to favouritism at 8-1.

A return to the Coral Hurdle is the only race pencilled in for Goshen at this stageCredit: Edward Whitaker

Moore reported the three-time Grade 2-winning hurdler to have returned unscathed from his Newmarket escapade, although his only firm target over jumps at this stage is the Coral Hurdle at Ascot on November 25, a race in which Goshen showed his true colours when beating Brewin'upastorm by eight and a half lengths last year.

"He's grand but the ground just wasn't soft enough for him in the Cesarewitch and I don't think a big field like that suits him either," said Moore. "He'll go hurdling now and the only race pencilled in at this stage is the race at Ascot he won last year."

Owned by Steve Packham, Goshen has been a fans' favourite since going six races unbeaten on the the Flat and over hurdles between June 2019 and January 2020, only failing to make it seven when an infamous blunder at the last hurdle cost him certain victory in the Triumph Hurdle at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival.

Goshen is officially rated 154 over hurdles and 7lb lower over fences, leaving very few races for his trainer to choose from.

Moore added: "It's very limited where he can go unless I run him in an open-ended handicap and he carries top weight, which I might have to do and claim off him."

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