Cue Card is to have a racecourse gallop next week as part of his preparations for the Racing Post Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.
Colin Tizzard was forced to withdraw his 2010 Champion Bumper winner from the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Friday after he was found to be slightly lame.
He was given a few days off which allowed the six-year-old to return to full fitness and Tizzard has confirmed his intention to send him to a racecourse to aid his Cheltenham preparations.
"Last Monday morning he came out of his stable and was slightly lame," Tizzard explained. "We worked him on Tuesday and when we trotted him on a firm surface, he was slightly nodding so we couldn't run him at Newbury on Friday, but by Wednesday he was fine.
"We'll probably give him a racecourse gallop early next week. He worked beautifully today and is fine.
"It's no problem going straight to Cheltenham now. He's had four runs and he's a better horse this year."
Cue Card had been due to take on Sprinter Sacre in the Betfair Super Saturday Chase and Tizzard could not help but be impressed with Nicky Henderson's charge in the Grade Two, although he is not overly worried by the opposition.
"The opposition is starting to look quite hot with Sprinter Sacre, but I'm not worried about that," he told At The Races.
"Cue Card is a very good horse in his own right. If we can get him there in the form he was in today I have no worries at all we'll have a good race.
"We were only a length and a quarter behind Sprinter Sacre in the Supreme Novice last spring and we had an interrupted preparation.
"He's a lot better horse this year - he's bigger and stronger and jumps well - and we shall ride him quite prominently.
"It's a championship race, so we are not going to make any big predictions, but he won the Champion Bumper."