Trainer Alan King is looking at the first handicap of the festival in the Ultima for his dual purpose superstar Who Dares Wins and believes it offers his best chance for the eight year old to add a Cheltenham festival success to his CV.
The son of Jeremy has had an elusive career both having winners of hurdles, fences and on the flat with his biggest winner to date coming in the Newcastle all weather feature in 2019 when taking the Northumberland Plate.
With the older the horse is getting the more he is stepping up to going over the bigger obstacles during the national hunt season and in his three chase starts this season he has two seconds and a winner on his last outing at Kempton.
It came in the Grade 2 Pendil Novices' over two and half miles and in a great end to the race which saw King's horse just get up on the line a step up in trip is certainly in the offing.
The eight year old holds entries in the RSA Novices’ Chase and Marsh Novices Chase, but his handler is looking more at the Ultima believing the Grade Three offers him a much better chance of a winner.
(Credit At The Races) King said: “I’ve not done much with him since Kempton. He has had a little canter. He is in the Marsh, but I do want to go three miles with him, so it will be the RSA or the Ultima.
“I would favour the Ultima off 147 and I’ve won the race with a novice chaser before back in 2004 with Fork Lightning.
“Whether a massive field would be in his favour, I’m not sure. Although he has run in big fields on the Flat, he will have seen more daylight in them.
“We have got to see how he is before making a decision and I wouldn’t recommend running him if it is heavy.”