Hors La Loi III thrust himself back into the reckoning for the Cheltenham Festival as he found plenty of his old dash at Wincanton yesterday.
Back in action for the first time since November, he showed plenty of spirit to see off Auetaler by half a length in the Axminster 100 Kingwell Pattern Hurdle.
But connections are still undecided whether to pitch Hors La Loi in against hotpot Istabraq in the Champion Hurdle or take the easier option of the Stayers' Hurdle.
Hors La Loi III is offered at 14 to 1 for the Champion Hurdle and 10 to 1 for the Stayers'. The Tote quote 16 to 1 for the Champion Hurdle.
Meanwhile, Teaatral is fancied to land today's feature event, the Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle over an extended three miles at Kempton.
Charlie Egerton's gelding ran a blinder to score by 11 lengths from Pealings at Ascot. That represented a personal best by the gelding, who races off the same mark of 147 tomorrow, and further improvement can be expected over the extra distance.
Brown Lad can regain the winning thread in the afternoon's showcase handicap, the Coral Eurobet Hurdle. The Henrietta Knight-trained seven-year-old ran out the game winner of a Warwick handicap in January when he held on by 1 1/2 lengths from Piped Aboard.
