Frodon is firmly on track for the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown next month after connections chose to bypass the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old and Bryony Frost made history when landing the Ryanair Chase in 2019, one of four consecutive appearances at the National Hunt festival.
But Nicholls will target the Unibet-sponsored feature of the Dublin Racing Festival on February 6 - Frodon was not among the entries for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Ryanair Chase or Queen Mother Champion Chase published on Tuesday - after discussions with Frodon’s owner Paul Vogt.
“I spoke to Paul and we felt he wasn’t quick enough to win a Ryanair Chase and won’t stay the Gold Cup trip,” said Nicholls.
“He’s going to Leopardstown. It’s a great race for him - the ground is always decent, and the field can cut up with only a few runners, so that’s what we’re setting our sights on.”
Frodon, a non-staying fifth behind Minella Indo in last year’s Gold Cup, returned with a three-quarter-length success in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in October before finishing fourth in defence of King George VI Chase title at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
“If he finished fifth in another Gold Cup and hard a hard race, that could finish his season,” added Nicholls.
“He’s an amazing horse but he’s not going to win either the Ryanair or the Gold Cup - three miles on decent ground is what suits him.
“We got it right at Down Royal and now we’ll try to get it right at Leopardstown.”
Willie Mullins has yet to decide whether 2019 and 2020 Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo will have another race before bidding to get his crown back on March 18.
The 10-year-old won Tramore’s New Year’s Day Chase for the fourth time last weekend, and Mullins said; “I was delighted with how he came out of the race but we will see how we go.”
