King George VI Chase winner See More Business delighted Paul Nicholls in work yesterday and is firmly on course for the Pillar Properties Chase at Cheltenham a week on Saturday.
The eight-year-old is set to take on the likes of Addington Boy, Barton Bank and Rough Quest in what is viewed by connections as a dress rehearsal for the Tote Gold Cup in March.
"We've had no problems with him since the King George, touch wood, and provided there are no hiccups he's certain to run at Cheltenham as long as the weather's all right," Nicholls said.
"He worked this morning and pleased me so he's only going to have the one run before the Gold Cup as his confidence is high now. He goes well when fresh and has only got 11st 6lb in the Cheltenham race next week."
If the Cheltenham meeting is lost to the weather, Nicholls will instead aim his charge at a two-and-a-half-mile chase at Chepstow next month.
Although Andrew Thornton steered See More Business to victory at Kempton on St Stephen's Day, the gelding is to be reunited with stable-jockey Timmy Murphy who was denied the ride at Kempton because of a whip ban.
Ante-post punters were warned yesterday that Wahiba Sands is not certain to be aimed at the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.
The John Dunlop-trained gelding, unbeaten in two outings over jumps, was quoted as short as 25 to 1 for the Cheltenham showpiece after entries were published on Monday.
But Dunlop's racing secretary revealed that the gelding will also be put in the Citroen Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Festival and is to stick to novice company for his next outing.