Whisper may run in France instead of defending his crown in the Silver Cross Stayers' Hurdle at Aintree in April.
Nicky Henderson's eight-year-old has won the Grade One on Merseyside for the last two seasons but his chief goal this spring will be the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Whisper has made a bad start to the season - he finished last in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and was then pulled up in the Relkeel at Cheltenham - and will not run before the World Hurdle, in which he finished fifth last term.
Aintree remains an option, but connections are already giving thought to valuable French targets at Auteuil racecourse.
Owner Dai Walters said: "Everything's fine with him - Nicky's done all the checks and couldn't find anything.
"He just didn't like the ground at Cheltenham, it's as simple as that.
"He needs top of the ground, so he won't be out until the Cheltenham Festival.
"There's Aintree to think about as well, but a lot would depend on how he comes out of Cheltenham.
"There's also the big hurdle races in France to think about, so that could be an option."