Bookmakers are not yet offering a price, but young French horse Maquisard could soon become a live outsider for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The four-year-old chestnut, trained in Maisons-Laffitte by Guy Cherel, strode six lengths clear on his hurdling debut at Pau racecourse last month and has done enough to convince owner Mathieu Offenstadt to enter him in the Triumph on March 18.
Maquisard will first step into Listed company on Friday when he returns to Pau for the Prix Camille Duboscq.
Should he match expectations with another big show, Cherel can plan for a first Cheltenham Festival runner with cautious optimism.
He said: "Maquisard made a good impression at Pau on his first jump race.
"He was a Flat horse, but he is not nervous, has a good pedigree and has a lot of ability.
"Heavy ground would not be a problem, but he goes on all ground.
"We have entered him for the Triumph Hurdle and we hope to come to Cheltenham, but first we hope for a good run on Friday."
A son of Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Creachadoir, the sire of fellow Triumph Hurdle contender Footpad, Maquisard was formerly trained on the Flat by Alain Couetil, for whom he won three races.