Tuesday 8 November 2016 14:05, UK
Bristol De Mai is being aimed at the At The Races Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle on November 26.
Nigel Twiston-Davies will send the five-year-old north in search of the softer ground connections feel is so key to his chances.
He had been mooted as a possible for the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham and Haydock's Betfair Chase over the summer, but he will step up to three miles in handicap company.
"The plan is to go for the Rehearsal Chase," said Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Munir & Isaac Souede.
"We're going to try him over nearly three miles and we're mindful that he's likely to get the soft ground he needs there.
"We're going to run him in a handicap and see where we are. If he stays, it opens up a lot more options and at the end of the day it's an £80,000 race. If he can win off that mark (154) it will probably be his last handicap anyway.
"We took him out of Cheltenham this weekend as we don't want to run him on quickish ground again like Carlisle.
"I do think, though, that the winner at Carlisle (Seeyouatmidnight) has been underrated.
"We think soft ground is the key. He just seems to jump so much more fluently, or it might be the others jump slower, it makes a big difference to him either way."
