Mark Pitman declared himself "very happy" with his Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Ever Blessed following the horse's gallop after racing at Kempton yesterday.
Ever Blessed, partnered by Timmy Murphy, went two miles in company with Pitman's Smurfit Champion Hurdle contender Ashley Park under Jim Culloty, and an unraced bumper horse.
Afterwards Pitman issued a positive note surrounding the horse who is a 14-1 chance for the Gold Cup having landed the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on his last start in November.
Pitman said: "I think the horse has improved. He's bang-on and hopefully with time we're spot-on for Gold Cup day. I was pleased with that, and I'm very happy with him."
Pitman said he was suitably impressed with Gloria Victis in the Racing Post Chase during the afternoon, but is nonetheless relishing the prospect of sending Ever Blessed for the Gold Cup.
He said: "I think the Gold Cup is going to be a real good race and with four or five real front runners it should be run at a blistering pace, which is ideal.
"I wouldn't want to see a massive field, eight or 10 runners would be ideal. But he'll stay and come up the hill and its bound to be a very fast run race, and that's got to suit us."
Pitman is delaying his decision over the chances of the former classy Flat performer Ashley Park, winner of his sole start over hurdles at Sandown last season, lines up for the Champion Hurdle.
He said: "Ashley had a good blow and I was pleased. He had a haemorrhage in his foot and we had to let that out, so we have been held up with him. I was hoping to have run him at Wincanton on Thursday.
"But the horse has gone nicely. Jim said he was a bit keen all the way round and I think we'll monitor him and make a decision near the time whether he'll take his chance.
"Its asking a lot of any horse to run in the Champion Hurdle after only one run over hurdles, but he's a very high-class horse."
