Monday 6 November 2017 11:53, UK
Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Minella Rocco will return to Prestbury Park later this month in a bid to get his season back on track.
The 2016 National Hunt Chase hero ran a fantastic race to chase home Sizing John in the blue riband last March and was a hot favourite to make a successful reappearance in last month's Irish Daily Star Chase at Punchestown.
However, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old could only finish fourth behind Noel Meade's Road To Respect and he is set to have his sights lowered for the Grade Three Betvictor.com Handicap Chase on November 18, a race in which he finished third 12 months ago.
Trainer Jonjo O'Neil said: "He is going to Cheltenham for the next meeting for the three-mile-three handicap there and we will take it from there.
"He ran disappointingly in Ireland. He probably needed the run a bit to be fair.
"He was a bit flat, but then Outlander ran flat in it (finished sixth) and he ran a cracker on Saturday (won JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal). "
