Ready To Rumble, an unlucky loser at Newbury on Saturday, is on course for the valuable Land Rover Bumper at Fairyhouse on April 25.
Noel Chance's five-year-old was beaten one and three-quarter lengths by Patriarch at the weekend after being hampered a furlong and a half out.
"He was dreadfully unlucky," Chance said this morning. "But I was very happy with him and he'll improve a ton for the race.
"I've always thought a lot of him _ he's a very nice horse with a good turn of foot.
"The reason I started him off in a 10 grand bumper was that if he'd won he wouldn't have been carrying a 7lb penalty in the Land Rover Bumper for winning a Mickey Mouse race. I'd hate not to win at Fairyhouse because of a penalty."
The Lambourn trainer is considering giving the #30,000 Weatherbys Champion Bumper, for which the gelding is quoted at 20-1 by Sean Graham, at next month's Cheltenham Festival a miss.
He said: "My first reaction was not to go to Cheltenham but I haven't ruled it out completely because the time-scale fits in with the Fairyhouse race, which is worth 20 grand more than Cheltenham, whereas Aintree would be too close.
"I've had him since I bought him at the Land Rover Sale last summer and Plan A has always been to go to Fairyhouse, which is a very good track."
Chance also remains pleased with his Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Looks Like Trouble's big-race preparation.
He said: "Dare I say it but everything is going very well."
Looks Like Trouble is 6-1 joint-second favourite with Ladbrokes for the Gold Cup behind 6-4 favourite See More Business.
