Henrietta Knight declares first runners since 2012 at Wincanton on Friday

Henrietta Knight has declared two horses for Friday's card at Wincanton, her first runners under rules in more than 11 years.

The trainer of triple Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Best Mate stopped training in June 2012 but announced last November that she would be taking out her licence once more, with Brendan Powell as her assistant. 

Knight will saddle Zettabyte in the 2m4f handicap hurdle (1.30), with James Bowen set to take the ride, while Powell's son Brendan will be aboard Ballywalter in the 3m½f maiden hurdle (3.00). 

Zettabyte produced the best of seven performances for Gordon Elliott when second at Downpatrick in October, but was pulled up on his most recent start at Fairyhouse the following month. 

Ballywalter will be making his first start under rules having won a point-to-point at Tattersalls Farm for trainer James Lambe in October. 

Knight has run a successful pre-training, livery and schooling business from her famous West Lockinge yard in recent years, having given up training to care for her husband Terry Biddlecombe, while she also acted as bloodstock and racing adviser to late owner Mike Grech.  

In 2004 Best Mate became the first horse to win three Cheltenham Gold Cups since Arkle in 1966, while Knight also scored Champion Chase and King George success with Edredon Bleu who, like his even more illustrious stablemate, carried the claret and blue silks of Jim Lewis. 

Tim Radford and his late wife Camilla were also big supporters of Knight, and enjoyed big-race victories with Racing Demon, Somersby and Calgary Bay, who went on to run in four hunter chases for Knight in early 2015 under her licence from the Point-to-Point Authority. 

What chances do Henrietta Knight's comeback runners have?

Zettabyte
1.30 Wincanton, 2m4f handicap hurdle

Formerly trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott, the seven-year-old has yet to win and has become inconsistent, including when pulling up on his final start for his former handler at Fairyhouse in early November.

That was the fourth time in his last five starts that he had failed to finish, pulling up on three of those occasions, but did finish a good second in a 2m3f handicap chase at Downpatrick in October on his penultimate start.

Off a British hurdles mark of 107, he looks to have a tough task against some rivals with more encouraging form, but does have the assistance of James Bowen. The Grade 1-winning jockey has been in red-hot form, and is operating at a 33 per cent strike-rate in the last fortnight.

Zettabyte13:30 Wincanton

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Jky: James Bowen Tnr: Henrietta C Knight

Ballywalter
3.00 Wincanton, 3m½f maiden hurdle

The seven-year-old looks to be Knight's clear leading chance of securing a comeback winner as he makes his rules debut.

He is one of the more exposed rivals that is transferring from point-to-points, having run in seven of them in Ireland, and ended his time in that sphere in fine form with an impressive win. Having been off for 533 days, he made a taking return when a 15-length winner of a heavy-ground 3m contest at Tattersalls Farm in late October. 

Ballywalter will also be ridden by Knight's assistant Brendan Powell's son, Brendan Jr, who has been operating at a healthy 22 per cent strike-rate in the last fortnight.

Ballywalter15:00 Wincanton

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Jky: Brendan Powell Tnr: Henrietta C Knight

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