Protektorat has been committed to the challenge of overturning Cheltenham Gold Cup form with runaway winner A Plus Tard.
Dan Skelton is readying his star for round two in Haydock's Betfair Chase – another Grade 1 the reigning Festival champion has on his CV.
A Plus Tard poured on the pressure in last year's renewal, finishing 22 lengths ahead and the bookies expect a repeat.
Priced up at 1-2 favourite with the sponsors, Henry de Bromhead's favourite charged clear in the Prestbury Park highlight in March.
In a league of his own, A Plus Tard had a 17-and-a-half length call over Protektorat, who engaged in his own private battle for third place.
Skelton hopes his runner, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, can step up and make a race of it with the market leader on November 19.
“One thing to remember about this horse is the fact that he’s had only a couple of runs over three miles and one run over three and a quarter miles," he said.
"On one of those occasions he’s annihilated a field at Aintree (in the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase) and on another he’s finished a very respectable third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and I believe there’s still more to come from this horse at this trip."
In his warm-up for the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, Protektorat ploughed through the mud to defeat previous Gold Cup hero Native River by 25 lengths.
Skelton kept the seven-year-old fresh and had him raring to go as he tackled the longest distance of his career.
Ferguson was at Cheltenham to watch the son of Saint Des Saints tenaciously hold onto a place from the closers, Galvin and Royale Pagaille.
The Manchester United legend's horse previously gave him his 'best day in racing,' when he kick-started a treble at the 2021 Grand National fixture.
And while acknowledging the task in hand, Skelton is priming Fergie, Ged Mason and the Hales family's thoroughbred for another huge effort up north.
"We’re bullish and we know we’re going to go there and run a big race and everything else but we also know that we’re not going to start as favourite and if A Plus Tard beats us we can hardly act like it was a big surprise either," the Alcester trainer added.
"We’re realistic as well as hopeful and if we are beaten we’ll dust ourselves down and go again.
“I think he will love Haydock and for him it’s very much a case of the more rain the better."
