Warren Greatrex admits he could be up "against it" in his bid to get 2015 winner Cole Harden fit for the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The nine-year-old has not been sighted since suffering an odds-on defeat over fences at Worcester in August, after sustaining a knee problem.
Greatrex said: "He is cantering every day. He has got an entry in the Stayers' Hurdle, but we will play it by ear. At the moment he is fresh and well and back in training, which is good news. We are probably up against it time-wise, but we will take each day as it comes."
Another familiar name in contention is Diakali, who was last seen when winning for Mullins at Fairyhouse in April but is now in the care of Gary Moore, who said: "Diakali is a bit of a character and has been with me for about three months now.
"He was a class horse when Willie Mullins trained him, although whether he will be now is a different matter. In the mornings, he is still showing plenty of ability and enthusiasm for the job and, at the moment, I am very happy with him.
"The plan is for him to run at Sandown on February 3 or if he doesn't go there, he will go straight to the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell on February 25. The Stayers' Hurdle entry looks ambitious, but it is an open division and his first run should tell us more about the horse."
Related horse racing links
