Connections of Jagwar have outlined their thinking as the seven-year-old goes through the gears ahead of a trip to Cheltenham and Aintree.
A four-time winner over fences as a novice last season, including the Plate at the Festival in March, the JP McManus-owned Jagwar has finished third and second in major two and a half-mile handicap chases during the current campaign.
He has now been given entries in Cheltenham's Ryanair Chase, TrustATrader Plate and the Ultima, while he also has the option of a crack at the Randox Grand National at Aintree in early-April.
Joint-trainer Josh Guerriero has strongly suggested a step up in trip is likely for the son of Karaktar, who was last seen being beaten a head by Donnacha in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase on Trials Day.
Guerriero said on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: "I think it's most likely we're going to go for the Ultima at Cheltenham and then I suppose depending on that, it will tell us whether we go to Aintree or not.
"I think Mr McManus and the team are all quite keen to have a go at Aintree if it did pan out.
"He's bred that way (for staying trips). He was always just quite keen as a younger horse and now he's relaxing... Jonjo (O'Neill Jr) is adamant we go up in trip, he says he just races a little bit behind the bridle these days which is obviously great, but obviously over two and a half miles it makes it difficult for him.
"Over three miles, racing like that will suit and maybe it'll just help his jumping a bit, going that bit slower."
Guerriero and joint licence-holder Oliver Greenall also have the McManus-owned Iroko entered for the Grand National, having finished fourth in the big race last spring.
He's on course for another shot at the prize and the trainer said: "They're such different horses. If you worked them at home then Jagwar would be 10 lengths clear of Iroko. Iroko is very slow and just workmanlike but get him on the track and his will to win and toughness, the way he stays and runs his races... we're just very lucky to have two horses like them and have got to make the most of it.
"Jagwar is probably not as tough as Iroko but he's one of those horses - he's not the easiest to keep right - but when he's on song he does put his head down. His last run at Cheltenham, he's probably been crabbed a bit more than he deserves as the two of them were two lengths clear of the third at the last (fence) and they've pulled 15 lengths clear by the line so he's come up the hill well and had a lot of weight on his back. Hopefully he comes good in the spring, our horses are hopefully just turning a corner."
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