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Earl's Kitchen earned a possible trip to the Cheltenham Festival with a clear-cut success in the totesport Handicap Chase at Chepstow on Saturday.

Tizzard was completing a near 33-1 double on his father Colin's lightly-raced eight-year-old, who saw the extended three and a quarter miles out well to beat Howdydoody by eight lengths after leading with a circuit to go.

Earl's Kitchen (8-1) could now be stepped up to four miles in the National Hunt Chase next month.

"Joe said he's improved since his last run and he'll improve again," the winning trainer said.

"He cracked his pelvis two years ago and we were glad to get him back on the racetrack, and two years on he's still a horse with some potential.

"He had to win today to warrant an entry in the National Hunt Chase. That was the plan when we came here.

"He's a nice horse who might be better off in a handicap, but you can only dream.

"He does jump and he does stay and I think he's a National Hunt Chase type of horse.

"We had Dear Deal finish a close fifth in it last year and he wouldn't be far behind him."