Checkandchallenge is being readied for a third appearance in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, after connections decided against a more ambitious tilt at Tuesday’s Queen Anne.

The six-year-old has proved himself well able to fly in the face of huge odds and did so again in the Lockinge at Newbury last month when coming home fifth behind an all-star cast of Lead Artist, Dancing Gemini, Rosallion and Notable Speech, having started at 125-1.

Those horses are likely to line up for the rematch in the Queen Anne on the opening day of Royal Ascot and while trainer William Knight pondered throwing Checkandchallenge’s hat in the ring, he was taken out of the race ahead of Wednesday’s confirmation stage.

“We’re going to go for the Wolferton,” said Knight.

“It looks a very strong Queen Anne and the thinking when he was left in the race was that if there was rain in the forecast and it came up soft ground some of those might not turn up and we would probably have had a crack at it, but it looks like it’s going to be lovely ground on Tuesday, they’re all going to turn up and we’ve got a realistic chance of running very well in the Wolferton.

“He gets a mile and a quarter and I think it’s probably the more sensible race for him.”

Checkandchallenge has run with credit in the past two runnings of the Wolferton, finishing sixth and seventh, and Knight is optimistic he could perform even better at third attempt.

He added: “He has run well in the race the last two years and I think he’s a better horse this year.

“We’ve taken the headgear off him and he seems a happier horse, it hasn’t surprised me how well he has done this year and I think his runs at Ascot and Newbury were career-best runs from him.

“I know he’s six years old, but he’s training much better as a gelding, so I think he’d have a proper chance of running well in the Wolferton.”

Checkandchallenge’s stablemate Sir Busker finished third in the Queen Anne in 2021, and reached greater heights still when winning the York Stakes the following season.

Now nine, the gelding is heading for York on Friday for the Seat Unique Handicap and is another example of Knight’s ability to keep seasoned horses on song as they advance in years.

“We really like our older horses, we like to keep them sweet and happy – they are such nice horses to get to keep because so often these horses are sold abroad and it can be very hard to keep hold of them,” he said.

“Sir Busker has gone down a few pounds now and we’ll take three more off.

“That should give us a nice chance of running a good race there on a track he really likes, he’s a hard horse to place these days but he’s in very good form at home and we’re really happy with him.”