Relkeel revelation Midnight Shadow could bid to follow up back at Cheltenham in Cleeve Hurdle

A trip to Haydock for the Rendlesham on February 26 is also a possibility for the Relkeel winner.

Rated just 134 as recently as April last year, this season Sue Smith's six-year-old has proved himself one of the most progressive horses in training.

With wins in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and a valuable handicap at Aintree flanking a Relkeel victory, the handicapper has since been forced to propel him to a mark of 158.

Plenty of opportunities are now open to the son of Midnight Legend and a trip back to Prestbury Park could be on the cards.

Smith said: "Midnight Shadow has been in good form since Cheltenham.

"We were delighted with the performance on New Year's Day and he saw the trip out very strongly. He is a horse that just improves the further he goes.

"I think his future at the moment is going to lie over two and a half or three miles. I think as he continues to step up in trip, the better he will become. He is a special horse.

"We have a couple of options and the Rendlesham (February 16) at Haydock or the Cleeve Hurdle (January 26) at Cheltenham are the main possibilities."

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