Gordon Elliott is set to let Death Duty line up in the Greenmount Park Novice Chase at Limerick on Boxing Day.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old was a Grade One winner over hurdles and stretched his unbeaten record over fences to three with a dominant display in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse earlier this month.
He is entered in the two-mile-one-furlong Racing Post Novice Chase and the Neville Hotels Novice Chase over three miles at Leopardstown next week, but Elliott is keen to keep him over the intermediate distance of around two and a half miles at Limerick.
Death Duty features in several antepost markets for the Cheltenham Festival but Sky Bet have him as a 6/1 chance for the JLT Novices' Chase over two miles and four furlongs.
"I'm 99 per cent sure I'm going to go to Limerick for the Grade Two," the trainer told At The Races.
"I'm not sure three miles is what he wants now. Davy Russell is actually on to me to bring him back to two miles, but that would probably suit Davy better, if he went to Leopardstown.
"At the moment he's definitely going to Limerick, Davy and Jack (Kennedy) will probably be in Leopardstown, so Keith Donoghue will ride him."
Death Duty will be part of a formidable squad in action for title-chasing Elliott over the festive period.
The Cullentra handler confirmed Tombstone an intended runner in the Racing Post Novice Chase, which is also on Boxing Day, while Royal Bond hero Mengli Khan will be a warm order for the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle 24 hours later.
Apple's Jade, so impressive in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse last time, is set to step up to three miles for the first time in her career in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle on December 28.
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