AS champion racehorse Best Mate returns to the turf, his Callow End owner hopes a wager will raise £165,000 for charity.

Betfair have given Jim Lewis £5,000 to bet on a three race challenge at 33-1, which will pay out £165,000 if Best Mate wins each time.

The Betfair Million involves the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 19, the King George VI Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day and next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

If Mr Lewis wins his bet, half the money will go to St Richard's Hospice and half to a Birming-ham charity for sick children.

Marilyn Peachey, head of fundraising at the Worcester hospice, said staff and patients would be cheering on Best Mate in the races.

Best Mate was three times winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup but missed out on a fourth win this year when he had to pull out before the race in March.

He is now well enough to make his comeback on Tuesday, November 1, at Exeter.

Mr Lewis said: "He's had a long lay-off after breaking his blood vessel in March, but we think he's fit enough to have a go now."

Mr Lewis said that Best Mate had been going over the fences this week under the eye of trainer Henrietta Knight at her base in Oxfordshire.