Willie Mullins is hoping for a change in his big-race luck when Alexander Banquet tackles the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.
The three-mile-two-furlong handicap has been chosen as the launching pad for the talented chaser in a season in which he has designs on the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Alexander Banquet is racing for the first time since finishing second in the SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
He will be out to restore stable fortunes after the disappointing performance of Florida Pearl at Down Royal on Saturday. "I very much hope Alexander Banquet will develop into a Gold Cup horse," said Mullins. "The Newbury race does look tough but we have to run him somewhere and it's as good a starting point as any.
"The race should certainly tell us a bit more about where we are going with him."
Florida Pearl is also entered for the Hennessy but will definitely miss the race after his comprehensive weekend defeat.
Sent off 5 to 4 joint favourite for the James Nicholson Wine Champion Chase, he trailed in fourth of five behind the impressive Looks Like Trouble.
Mullins is at loss to explain the poor showing of Florida Pearl, who was well below his best form.
"He ate up last night and he seems to be all right at the moment," said the trainer. "But sometimes it takes a little while for something to show up.
"He certainly won't be running in the Hennessy and I don't know where we will go with him yet."
Florida Pearl had been one of the leading candidates for the King George VI Chase at Kempton. But Looks Like Trouble is now the favourite for the Christmas showpiece after his sparkling display.
Richard Johnson's mount hardly put a foot wrong on the way to an easy defeat of the veteran Dorans Pride.
Afterwards Johnson said: "This was marvellous. Looks Like Trouble has improved from last year and his jumping was superb."
Looks Like Trouble's team will be hoping for better luck in the Kempton race. He inexplicably performed a long way below his best in the corresponding event 12 months ago.
