Fergal O’Brien will chart a direct course to the Cheltenham Festival with Imperial Alcazar

The seven-year-old ran out a comfortable two-and-a-quarter-length winner of a Pertemps qualifier at Warwick last month, and is as low as 8-1 with some firms for the Final at Cheltenham on March 18.

While Imperial Alcazar is also entered in the Stayers’ Hurdle on the same day, O’Brien is looking towards the big handicap instead.

He said: “He’s in good form and goes for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham now, all being well.

“He runs well fresh, so he’ll go straight there without another run in between.”