Racing: Thriller the Teeton toppler ready to run

DOUBLE THRILLER, the only horse to have beaten Teeton Mill, could return at Wincanton on 28 January. Paul Nicholls, who took over the nine- year-old from his owner, Reg Wilkins, in November, said: "Double Thriller had a few coughs over Christmas and the Wincanton race (a handicap chase) is the earliest he could run in as he's a big horse and we want to make sure he's 100 per cent fit.

"Joe [Tizzard] thinks the world of him, but although he beat Teeton Mill in a hunter chase at Cheltenham there's no saying he'd do it again."

Double Thriller, yet to run in handicap chases, was having his second outing under Rules when winning by 12 lengths from Teeton Mill, who was conceding 8lb, over the Gold Cup trip at Cheltenham in April.

Call Equiname, out of action since November 1997, was ridden by Tizzard in a schooling session with Flagship Uberalles over six fences after racing at Sandown on Saturday and reappears in Saturday's Victor Chandler Handicap Chase at Ascot if the going is not soft.