Trainer Paul Nicholls has confirmed Topofthegame will head straight to Cheltenham next month for the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase.
The seven-year-old has finished second on two occasions this season and Nicholls will be hoping he can make it third time lucky next month.
Topofthegame finished second at Exeter on December 7 before then competing at Kempton on Boxing Day.
He ended up behind La Bague Au Roi in the 32Red Kauto Star Novices’ Chase and Nicholls is happy to send him straight to Prestbury Park.
Nicholls said: “Topofthegame will go straight to the RSA. His form is red hot now. He finished second to Defi Du Seuil giving him the best part of 30 lengths at Exeter.
Harry (Cobden) said he half-committed soon enough at Kempton and he fell apart. “He is a smart horse and he will go straight there. I will keep him fresh and well and give him a couple of gallops and he will be fine.
I think he does want to be fresh and he is a big, rangy horse that doesn’t want a hard race beforehand. “I wasn’t ready last weekend and if I go for the Reynoldstown, again that is getting close enough to Cheltenham. I would say he would have a good chance in the RSA.”
