Dan Skelton is hoping North Hill Harvey can confirm his place at Cheltenham next month with a strong performance in the 32Red Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon on Thursday.
The Warwickshire trainer has his eye on the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle for the five-year-old, who has shown plenty of promise in just two starts over jumps.
After finishing an encouraging second to the classy Barters Hill over this course and distance in early November, North Hill Harvey opened his account in cosy fashion at Cheltenham the following month.
"He was never going to be running on bad ground in mid-winter but in truth there was nothing else I wanted to run him in really," said Skelton.
"He's already been to Cheltenham and won, so that box was ticked.
"I've been very happy with him and he's one of the highest rated in the field. Hopefully this will be a stepping stone towards the Neptune. That's the race we're looking at, as long as everything goes well."
David Dennis is expecting a much better run from Final Nudge than on his latest start when he got stuck in the mud at Warwick, finishing a well-beaten fifth to Irish raider Thomas Hobson in the Grade Two Leamington Novices' Hurdle.
Dennis believes a repeat of his previous effort when second to Unowhatimeanharry at Cheltenham, which followed wins at Wincanton and Bangor, should see him in the mix.
"I'm hoping for slightly better ground compared to heavy ground last time at Warwick. It was very testing conditions there and he struggled on that a little bit," said the Worcestershire trainer.
"I'm hoping the slightly better ground at Huntingdon will help his chance. In my opinion his Cheltenham form where he was second in a Grade Two to Unowhatimeanharry would be good enough to hopefully see him competitive.
"It's a drop back in trip, but he's been effective from two miles to three miles before, so I'm hopeful of a good run."
Ma Do Fou holds an entry in the Neptune and trainer Warren Greatrex is giving the French-bred six-year-old a chance to stake his claim for a Festival place after wins at Ffos Las and Bangor.
Nicky Henderson's Minella Awards, who is engaged in the Neptune and the Albert Bartlett, puts his case for a Cheltenham appearance, having finished second to Champers On Ice on his hurdling debut at Newbury in November.
Sheena West's Justanother Muddle and the Gary Hanmer-trained Vinniewhitefoot complete the six-strong field.