Lil Rockerfeller is to be stepped up in class for the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Lil Rockerfeller is to be stepped up in class for the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The four-year-old, who won two big pots at Aintree and Sandown last season, landed another decent prize at Sandown last week.
With a rating of 152, trainer Neil King now feels the time is right to head into graded company on New Year's Day.
"Lil Rockerfeller has come out of the race really well and will go for the Relkeel Hurdle now," he said.
"I think the two-and-half-mile trip is one that suits him well and it seems the obvious race for him.
"He has run well at Cheltenham before and it's the race that stands out for him in my book.
"Although he was good last season he seems to be travelling through his races better this season whereas last year he hit flat spots."
King suffered a disappointment at Uttoxeter earlier in the week when his big novice chase hope Milansbar ran a lacklustre race behind Aubusson.
"Milansbar ran as flat as a pancake and never travelled a yard," said King.
"I thought he was going to be pulled up after five or six fences so he did well to finish as close as he did in the circumstances.
"We will try get him right and find a three mile novice chase for him. Although he was disappointing the other day that was the first bad race he has run for us."