Smad Place© Photo Healy Racing
Alan King has confirmed Smad Place will be aimed at the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Festival.
The nine-year-old ran out a comfortable 12-length winner of the Betbright Trial Chase at the track on Saturday and is a general 12-1 chance for the March 18 feature.
While the grey also holds an entry in the two-mile-five-furlong Ryanair Chase a day earlier at the Festival, Smad Place's intended target is the blue riband event.
King told At The Races: "I think it was decided last night that he will run in the Gold Cup.
"I spoke to (owner) Peter Andrews last night and again this morning and as long as he's fit and well, he will run in the Gold Cup."
Smad Place landed the Hennessy at Newbury earlier in the season before finishing a slightly disappointing fourth in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.
King is eager to forget about that performance and was heartened by the reception his front-running grey received after winning at Prestbury Park.
He said: "I would be inclined to put a line through the King George. I think he's a better horse on a more galloping track for one thing, I think Cheltenham suits him a lot better than Kempton.
"I think we would be running him pretty handy (in the Gold Cup).
"I was very touched yesterday, the reception he got coming into the winner's enclosure, it was like a Festival reception. It means a lot. I don't know whether it's his colour or his style of racing but the public seems to have got behind him."
