Vision Des Flos will go back in trip at The Festival after his trainer felt he rather overdid it in a match race at Chepstow.
Robbie Power's mount gave favourite backers a scare at the eighth fence, but was ultimately too classy for Rich Ricci's first Chepstow runner Royale Pagaille.
Colin Tizzard stood watching the Poolman Patios And Landscaping Novices' Chase on his own and was not entirely satisfied with the 1/4 favourite.
Charlie Deutsch slipped up the inner on the home turn to challenge on his sole rival, however Vision Des Flos quickly asserted to put nine and half lengths between them at the line.
"He doesn't help himself," said Tizzard.
"He's half running away, especially around here.I contemplated putting the hood on him yesterday but we thought with so few runners we would jump out and it would be fine, but he's still tanking.
"That's why he's having a blow. I think we will go back in trip now."
Tizzard plans to give the seven-year-old another run before tackling one of the novice races at the big meeting in March, possibly over 2m 4f, where one-time Gold Cup hope Thistlecrack will not be going this year because of a niggling injury.
The Dorset trainer was out of luck in the 2m 3f novices' hurdle, as Getaway Fred (8/13f) was outsprinted by Evan Williams' Fado Des Bross.
"He's just a nice young horse, you can't really say any more," said the Welsh trainer.
"You just hope he's lucky."
The winner is owned by the Rucker family, whose Arkle hope and Grade One winner Esprit Du Large will head straight to Prestbury Park without another run.
