Alan King is having further tests taken on Haydock flop Spendid but he revealed today that he believes the ground may have been the problem.
Spendid was 100-30 favourite for the Bet Direct Peter Marsh Chase on Saturday but came home a distant last of five finishers behind The Last Fling.
His trainer said: "Basically he seems fine but he was distressed when he pulled up and it took 20 minutes to get him back to normal.
"Nothing has come to light and it just could have been the ground.
"I remember once a couple of years ago when he ran one of his rare bad races over hurdles at Uttoxeter, it was very sticky ground that day and that could have been the case on Saturday.
"We will see how things go, and while there is nothing planned for him at the moment he could go for one of the handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival."
The stable's Champion Hurdle hope Relkeel was no match for Dato Star in the Grade Two Red Square Energising Champion Hurdle trial but King said: "He is fine and I was more than happy with him but basically he was flat out all the way.
"He is not getting any younger but I think Cheltenham will suit him much better, though you can't expect much more than him running into a place there.
"The winner was impressive on Saturday and Istabraq looks awesome but Relkeel might just stay on up the hill if we get some soft ground."
Stable-companion Anzum came out third best behind Behrajan and Merry Masquerade in the Grade Two Tote Exacta Long Distance Hurdle.
But King is still keen to take on all-comers at Cheltenham in the Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle, which his gelding won last year.
He said: "He was never really able to stretch them, he would have been suited by a stronger test of stamina. The writing was on the wall half way down the back but Cheltenham will be a different day and we won't mind taking the winner on again, though he is improving all the time."
The nine-year-old may not run again before the Festival and King added: "The Rendlesham Hurdle is really the only possible race for him in the meantime but Kempton is not the ideal place for him so I think we'll give it a miss."
Toto Toscato gave King his first winner of the year in the Birchwood Novices' Chase at the Merseyside course and he is Cheltenham bound too.
King said: "He definitely won't drop back to two miles so the Arkle is ruled out but he is in the SunAlliance Chase (three miles one furlong) and will be in the Cathcart (two and a half miles).
"But he will have a run before, and I think we will go back to Ascot for a £15,000 two-and-a-half-mile novice chase on February 19th."
Looking further ahead, King is aiming at Leopardstown next month with his smart novice chaser Castle Sweep.
Castle Sweep has been beaten only once in five outings over fences, going down by a neck to Mister One at Cheltenham on December 10th.
King said: "The plan is to go for a Grade Two novice chase at Leopardstown on February 6th. It looks a suitable race for him and the prize money is good."
