'It just wasn't him, he was never going' - Alan King perplexed by Edwardstone's Champion Chase flop

Alan King was at a loss to explain Edwardstone's lifeless display in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Last year's Arkle winner was sent off 15-8 second favourite but was the last to finish, more than 63 lengths behind Energumene who he beat in the Clarence House Chase back in January.

"I don't know," was King's instant reaction. "I've never been happier with a horse coming into a race. He was beat after two [fences]. I can't blame the ground, because he's gone on that before. His preparation, I promise you, I have not missed a beat the last month to six weeks. It just wasn't him, he was never going."

Edwardstone started his season with a nine-length victory in the Tingle Creek, before unseating at Kempton over Christmas and then getting beaten a head in the rearranged Clarence House at Cheltenham on Trials day.

"Jumping the third, I thought, he's not going to win anything," King added. "You think back to the Tingle Creek, he tanked the whole way through the race. I genuinely don't know. This is the first one [off day]."

King's stable jockey Tom Cannon, speaking to ITV Racing, said: "It wasn't his day, maybe the ground was a bit soft for him. He just didn't fire today. He seems okay so it's back to the drawing board.

"He can always be a bit cold over the first couple, so I wasn't too worried early on, but he normally warms into his races. When we jumped the ditches down the back I had to give him a squeeze and he made a real effort. He normally gets from A to B quite quick.

"I was holding on to nothing at the top of the hill. All credit to the horse, he took me into contention at three out as I was holding on to nothing."

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