He's back. Best Mate, the most popular, and certainly the most celebrated steeplechaser in Britain, returns to action at Exeter tomorrow.

The £65,000 William Hill Chase is the selected launch-pad for Henrietta Knight's superstar, who won his third consecutive Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March.

Knight has expressed her pleasure at Best Mate's well-being in advance of his comeback outing.

She is particularly pleased that he has been able to do more work on grass than at the corresponding time last year. when unseasonably fast ground meant he was largely restricted to training on the all-weather gallops at Lambourn.

Best Mate was surprisingly beaten at Huntingdon on his first outing last season, but that defeat was on unsuitably sticky ground. Conditions tomorrow should be ideal for the nine-year-old to strut his stuff.

He won't, though, have things all his own way. His rivals in the small field include Sir Rembrandt, who finished a half-length second to Best Mate in last season's Gold Cup, and now meets him on 4lb better terms.

Add to that, the fact that Sir Rembrandt has also had a preparatory outing, when a creditable runner-up to Grey Abbey in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby three weeks ago, and it's plain to see that Robert Alner's runner will be no pushover.

That said, it will be disappointing if Best Mate doesn't resume his career on a winning note on a course where he has won twice.

Jim Culloty, Best Mate's regular rider is sidelined with an injured hand, which has left the door open for Timmy Murphy to deputise on this plum mount tomorrow.

As Murphy rode seven winners at last weekend's Open meeting at Cheltenham, nobody need have any doubt that Best Mate will be in the best, and most confident, of hands.

Enthusiasts throughout the land will be keeping their fingers crossed that this multi-talented and wonderful-looking horse can start another exciting campaign on a winning note.

BBC2 cameras will be at Exeter to show Best Mate's comeback live, and armchair punters can also look forward to the same channel covering a trio of races from Windsor, highlighted by the £40,000 Coloroll Hurdle.

Cumbrian trainer Nicky Richards has had this Grade 2 race in mind for some time for Monet's Garden, and this high-class gelding is fancied to make his long journey south worthwhile.

Tony Dobbin takes the mount on Monet's Garden, who went from strength to strength last season, and comes from a yard in top form.

Tomorrow's Nap vote is awarded to Dun An Doras in the Crown Wallcoverings Handicap Chase. A winner at Stratford last time, Jimmy Frost's eight-year-old seems in excellent heart.

Friday's tips:

Exeter

1.20 Say What You See, 1.50 Atahuelpa, 2.25 Best Mate, 3.00 Noble Baron, 3.35 Parson Ploughman, 4.05 Roman Court.

Windsor

1.00 Patches, 1.30 Curtins Hill, 2.05 Alfie's Sun, 2.40 Dun An Doras (Nap), 3.10 Monet's Garden, 3.45 Doce Vida.

Tomorrow's other race meeting is at Wolverhampton.

Updated: 10:27 Thursday, November 18, 2004