Direct Route, who pleased trainer Howard Johnson in a gallop after racing at Musselburgh today, is still on course for a crack at the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on Saturday week.
The plan then is to run him in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham but then he could be off to the Orient as Johnson explained: "They have been pestering us to put his name down for a race in Japan on April 15th.
"It is worth £427,000 to the winner, there is a maximum of 16 runners and it will be over two-and-a-half miles on fast ground and that would be right up his street."
He went on: "The thing is that it is for horses rated 140 and at the end of the day we had to get invited but I think we will have to put his name down won't we? There is a month between Cheltenham and the race so it could fit in."
Direct Route galloped just under two miles with an unnamed stable companion with Richard Johnson on board and Johnson (Howard) went on: "It was nothing serious, I just wanted him to have a day out but he has confirmed what I thought that he is very well.
"Richard was very pleased with him and we're just hoping we get some good ground at Ascot.
"Richard was over the moon with him, he just kept hold of his head. You don't want to leave a race behind on the gallops. That Flagship Uberalles is some horse and he's improving but I think we can give him a race again."
The trainer confirmed that Direct Route's regular partner Norman Williamson will be offered the mount again in the big two-mile chase.
He said: "I asked Richard to ride the horse because he was the best jockey here and if ever we needed another rider he would know the horse.
"But of course, he is Norman Williamson's ride if he wants to ride him at Ascot."
