Injury-plagued hurdler Dato Star was given a clean bill of health today after his runaway victory at Haydock Park.
Malcolm Jefferson forecast he will run a "big, big race" in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, for which the gelding has been slashed to second favouritism.
The trainer reckons his stable-star is in "the form of his life" thanks to a prolonged spell of good health.
Dato Star is quoted at 5-1 for the Champion by William Hill, after his 17-length defeat of Relkeel in the Red Square Energising Haydock Park Champion Hurdle Trial.
Injury has prevented his doing himself justice at Cheltenham in the past and ruled him out of the race entirely 12 months ago.
But Jefferson said today: "He's fine, I couldn't be happier with him. I was delighted with him yesterday, he did it well.
"He is in the form of his life and if he gets to Cheltenham in the same form he will run a big, big race.
"I just hope it is genuine good jumping ground - and obviously the softer the better."
Past setbacks have restricted Dato Star to just 12 career outings over hurdles and Jefferson believes that a lengthy spell of good health has revitalised his nine-year-old.
The gelding won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle and Kempton's Christmas Hurdle earlier this season and Jefferson said: "He's very healthy and very well in himself and I suppose he is confident after three wins in a row - it is surprising what that will do for a horse.
"Every time a horse comes back from a race and isn't hurting it does them a world of good."
Dato Star will be bidding to become the first horse to complete the Haydock Champion Hurdle double since Flakey Dove in 1994.
No other Haydock winner even reached the frame at Cheltenham in the 1990s.
