The Jam Man is being aimed at the same handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival in which he was second last year.

Ronan McNally’s seven-year-old has not been seen since finishing sixth in a valuable event at Haydock behind Main Fact in November.

In his previous run, though, he had provided McNally with the biggest win of his career in the Troytown Chase at Navan, cruising home by 18 lengths.

“I wish there was a race for him tomorrow – he’s in absolutely brilliant form,” said the Armagh owner-trainer.

“He’ll go to the Dublin Racing Festival – but I wish it was this weekend and not three or four weeks away, because there’s nowhere for him to go.

“Unfortunately we’ll just have to sit tight with him – which is a shame, given the form he’s in.”

McNally hopes The Jam Man’s return to Leopardstown will signpost his target at Cheltenham in March.

“The only race suitable for him at the Dublin Festival is the valuable handicap he was second in last year (William Fry Handicap Hurdle),” he added.

“I’ll aim him for that again, and we’ll see how he goes after that.

“Hopefully that will give us a better indication about what race at the Cheltenham Festival we should aim for.”