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Saphir Du Rheu will bid to continue his revival over fences with an outing in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Although the eight-year-old holds an entry in the Ultima Handicap Chase on the opening day of the meeting, trainer Paul Nicholls has pointed towards the Festival showpiece as the preferred target.

After falling in the Hennessy Gold Cup in November and finishing second at Cheltenham on his penultimate start, the Andy Stewart-owned gelding got his stop-start career back on track earlier this month when landing a conditions event at Kelso.

Nicholls, speaking before the withdrawal of Thistlecrack, said: "He is somewhat a frustrating horse.He came good at Kelso last week, he absolutely bolted in, like he should have done. He jumped really well and is just starting to get his act together.

"We thought when he won the Grade One at Aintree two years ago we would go the Gold Cup route. We thought he would be a superstar over fences, but he lost his way a little bit jumping. His last two runs have been good.

"He is in a little bit of no-man's land because he has got quite a high mark now. I've entered him in the Ultima, but he is almost certain to run in the Gold Cup as Andy is dead keen to run in the Gold Cup.

"He has got plenty of ability and I know we've not seen the best of him yet. There is a real decent race in this horse at some stage.

"It's not the worst idea in the world to run Saphir Du Rheu in the race, as an outsider like him can run into a place."