Trainer Nicky Henderson has admitted he could send stable star Altior straight to the 2018 Cheltenham Festival.
The seven-year-old has not raced since April where he won at Sandown just weeks after storming to victory at the 2017 Festival.
Altior has won each of his six starts over fences under Henderson but there have been doubts over his fitness due to a wind problem last month.
That delayed his return to racing and connections did look at a run in the Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury but Henderson admits he may go straight to Cheltenham.
He told reporters: “The Game Spirit is probably the last chance before Cheltenham. We have got to play it by the book and we can't go any faster than the rule book says. He is not even being ridden yet. He is allowed to walk at the moment.
“It really wouldn't worry me if we went straight to the Cheltenham Festival. We have done this before. We could get there without a race and that is not a worry.
“If you can get one then of course you go for it, but what I don't want it is to go for a race when you are not ready. It will do more harm than good.”
