Gary Moore "couldn't be any happier" with Sire De Grugy ahead of the Betway Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The 10-year-old was a six-length winner of the Grade One in 2014 but struggled to match those achievements last term, finishing only fourth in the defence of his title.
He recaptured his best form with victory in the Tingle Creek Chase earlier this season and was only just beaten by a rejuvenated Sprinter Sacre at Kempton over the Christmas period.
Sire De Grugy then disappointed at Ascot, but Moore believes his charge may have been feeling the effects of that Kempton race when beaten five lengths by Un De Sceaux, prompting him to give his stable star a bit of a break.
He told his Betway blog: "Sire De Grugy galloped (on Tuesday morning) and I was delighted by what I saw as he worked very well.
"He's very keen and very strong - exactly the way I want him to be. In fact, he's tanking now and moving as well as he's ever done.
"The plan from here will be normal exercise until Saturday and then we'll gallop him again.
"He's exactly where I want him to be two weeks away from the Betway Champion Chase at the Festival."
Moore has had ill fortune in recent weeks with Ar Mad and Traffic Fluide sidelined by injury, while Violet Dancer had to be put down after suffering complications from surgery on a fractured leg.
However, the West Sussex handler has been able to issue an upbeat bulletin on one-time Champion Chase hope Traffic Fluide's recovery.
He said: "It was nice to have some good news and that was that Traffic Fluide's stem cell treatment for his ligament tear damage has gone well.
"He will start on the walker next week and we will bring him back step-by-step slowly walking over the next three months.
"The plan will be to turn him out from there for another three months and then hopefully start light exercise.
"He's on the long slow road to recovery."