Chris Gordon admits it will be full steam ahead to the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown Park in March with improving novice General Briar.
The Morestead handler will take aim at the £100,000 handicap on March 7th with the improving seven-year-old, who has won both of his last two starts.
After falling at the last on his hurdles debut at Newton Abbot, the Soldier Of Fortune gelding then finished third on his next start at Plumpton before scoring back at the Sussex track and last time out at Newbury.
Gordon said: “General Briar has been a cracking horse this season and he has looked progressive.
“He was going to go to the William Hurdle, but you have to have four completed starts over hurdles to run in that and he fell at the last on his first start over hurdles. However, the Imperial Cup is a good pot to go at.
“He won very nicely at Newbury earlier this month. He goes on soft ground and he stays a strong two miles well so it is the Imperial Cup all the way now.”
However, while Gordon has mapped out plans for General Briar he admits things have been put on hold for the time being for Diamond Hunter, who was a late absentee from last month’s Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
The seven-year-old is unbeaten in two starts under rules having followed up his debut success over hurdles at Plumpton with victory in the Grade Two Betfair Supports Safer Gambling Week Newton Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock Park.
Gordon said: “I had Diamond Hunter in the Formby, but he got a massive bit of pus in his foot. He has loads of issues and hopefully we will get it sorted very soon.
“Basically he has got something in his foot which keeps causing infection and we can’t quite get on top of it.
“Hopefully we will be back up and running with him in the spring, but it is one of things that has put him back for now.”
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