Theatre Guide runs in the £100,000 Grade Two Argento Chase (2.25pm, 12 entries) over three miles, one and a half furlongs at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day, this Saturday.
The Colin Tizzard-trained seven-year-old was narrowly denied by Monbeg Dude in the Grade Three Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase over the course and distance at The International on December 13, having previously finished third behind Triolo d'Alene (Nicky Henderson) and Rocky Creek (Paul Nicholls) in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury in November.
Tizzard reported: "Theatre Guide is in cracking form and I am looking forward to running him in the Argento.
"I think he was beaten by a very good horse last time. I have never seen Monbeg Dude run like that and we looked all over the winner, but our horse had only run 12 days before in the Hennessy.
"Theatre Guide had also finished third behind Bury Parade in a race at Kempton before that, so his form looks strong.
"Theatre Guide is a real progressive horse at the moment and soft ground won't bother him, so I think he will run a big race on Saturday."
Theatre Guide could be joined by the Paul Webber-trained Time For Rupert, who finished fourth on his return in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on December 21 after over a year off the track.
The 10-year-old has run some of his best races at Cheltenham, finishing second to Big Buck's in the 2010 Ladbrokes World Hurdle and fifth to Synchronised in the 2012 Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Webber revealed: "The intention is to run Time For Rupert this weekend, but we are not sure which race he will go for yet as he is also entered at Doncaster. Obviously, one is a conditions race and one is a handicap, so we need to look at the entries and other factors such as the ground.
"He has been fine after his run at Ascot. I just wonder if he got a bit leg-weary after a 14-month absence in that desperate ground. His better performances have always come on spring ground, so we have got to work out what's best.
"I hope he is as good as ever and Denis (O'Regan) thought the same when he rode him in a piece of work two weeks before Ascot, so we are hoping the ground was the main problem."
The 12 entries for the Argento Chase also include Charlie Hall Chase winner Harry Topper (Kim Bailey), 2012 Gold Cup runner-up The Giant Bolster (David Bridgwater), Champion Court (Martin Keighley) and Unioniste (Paul Nicholls).
Also engaged is this season's dual winner Houblon Des Obeaux (Venetia Williams), Pigeon Island (Nigel Twiston-Davies), Restless Harry (Robin Dickin) and Walkon (Alan King).
