Neil Mulholland is leaning towards the National Hunt Chase over four miles as the Cheltenham Festival target for his promising staying novice Southfield Royale.
The six-year-old, who has the RSA Chase as an alternative option, is already a two-time winner over fences and was second to Tea For Two in the Grade One Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
"It looks like he will be better left-handed. He's an exciting horse and my intention would be to go for the four-miler at Cheltenham," Mulholland told At The Races.
"Being by Presenting you would think he'd be better on better ground, but he still won his novice chase at Wetherby by 20 lengths on very soft ground and won a Grade Two on heavy ground at Doncaster.
"Hopefully better ground will bring out further improvement, plus going left-handed as well."