Potters Charm will stay over hurdles to test the water in the staying division with his novice chasing career on the backburner.
Potters Charm enjoyed a successful first season over hurdles for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, winning his first four starts including the Grade 1 Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.
Only second at Cheltenham in January, he couldn't build on that performance when a well beaten fifth at The Festival in the Turners Novices' Hurdle won by The New One but connections are keen to remain over hurdles for the foreseeable future.
Speaking from Newton Abbot, Sam Twiston-Davies told At The Races: "He's very well. He's not doing any considerable hard work yet but there will be a few races around the corner for him.
"We thought the three mile division looks quite open so we thought we'd give him a year to explore that and see how he gets on.
"Gowel Road did really, really well throughout the season in that division and we know Potters Charm is quite progressive, he's a young horse and if he were to improve then it just lands him right up there at the top level.
"Fingers crossed, that's where we're looking. If for any reason, he does go and get beat early then he can always go novice chasing but it is very much the plan at the minute to stick hurdling. He could start in something like the Silver Trophy at Chepstow, there are a lot of options for him so we'll have to keep our cards close to our chest and see how he's training and make a plan from there."
Twiston-Davies struck up a successful partnership with East India Dock for trainer James Owen last season, winning three on the spin before taking third spot in the Triumph Hurdle, before reverting to the flat where he won the Chester Cup in May.
He, too, is reported to be on course to tackle the staying division over hurdles and Twiston-Davies is looking forward to his return, saying: "He's been fantastic. he was up there for the Chester Cup which was fantastic to see and be a part of.
"He's an incredibly genuine horse, tries very hard, stays well, a great attitude for it and there's the Mastersons at Cheltenham to start his season off, maybe, if that's what they wanted to do.
"I think there's talk of the Cesarewitch at the same time but that four-year-old race at Cheltenham is a nice starting point for him."
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