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Broadway Boy will aim to continue his upward trajectory with a victory in the Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick on Saturday.
The six-year-old, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, has already produced three wins over fences and suffered his sole defeat when facing Flooring Porter at Cheltenham in October. He made a triumphant step up in class when taking the From The Horse's Mouth Podcast Novices' Chase at the same track in November and returned with an open handicap victory during the December meeting.
"He's been very, very good so far and obviously it's not Cheltenham, which is his preferred track, but he jumps very well left-handed and it's a good jumping test for him, the ground is fine, and we know he stays well, so you would hope he will be bang there," said assistant trainer Willy Twiston-Davies.
"Looking at the race, you would like to think the others have him to worry about and they have to step up to his level, so we go there quietly confident.
"We will learn a bit more on Saturday and both Grey Dawning and Apple Away are not bad horses, but hopefully if he beats them, it cements him as one of Britain's top staying novices."
Broadway Boy will have to give ten pounds to Apple Away from the Lucinda Russell yard, who impressed with an easy victory at Leicester on her second chase start.
"I wish we could find an easier race, but this is where she is at and this is what we do," said Peter Scudamore, assistant trainer to Russell.
"I think Nigel and Dan's horses are very good, but she jumped very well at Leicester and won a Grade 1 at Aintree (over hurdles), so she deserves her chance.
"I was pleased by the way she jumped (at Leicester) and we gave her quite a big ask first time over fences at Haydock. But she learnt from that and got it together at Leicester and really jumped well. She has toughened up and is on the upgrade and let's hope she puts up a good performance round Warwick.
"We would love to go to Cheltenham with her and we just need to decide if she runs in the mares' race, a handicap or the Brown Advisory."