Venetia Williams has confirmed L’Homme Presse is on observe to make his eagerly-awaited return at Lingfield through the Winter Million Pageant.
The Cheltenham Pageant winner has been on the sidelines since unseating his big-race jockey Charlie Deutsch when booked for second place within the 2022 King George VI Chase, lacking out on a return to Prestbury Park for a shot on the Gold Cup final spring.
L’Homme Presse is a basic 16/1 likelihood for the blue riband this time round and his handler has the Fleur de Lys Chase on January 21 inked in because the race the place the nine-year-old will likely be again from over a yr off the observe.
“He’s fine and Lingfield is the plan for the Fleur de Lys,” mentioned Williams. “All being well, he is on course for that.”
Williams additionally has one other proficient chaser on her arms within the type of Djelo, who enhanced his rising fame in Ascot’s Noel Novices’ Chase previous to Christmas.
The six-year-old gained simply one in every of his 5 begins for Williams over hurdles final time period however has excelled since switching to fences and, after victories at Aintree and Newbury, took the step as much as Grade Two firm in his stride when a powerful six-length scorer over Paul Nicholls’ Kandoo Child.
It was the primary time the gelding had raced over additional than two miles over the bigger obstacles and his coach is unconcerned about distance, as she assessed what her cost has carried out to this point and what’s potential sooner or later.
“I was very pleased with him and, like all these horses, it is one step at a time, but each question we’ve asked of him, he’s answered very positively,” mentioned Williams. “He’s a very different horse to L’Homme Presse, he’s much smaller and different, L’Homme Presse is a big wheel and this horse isn’t.
“I do not assume the journey is that necessary to him. In the interim, I am not nervous whether or not it’s two or two and a half – I might have run him within the commencement chase (at Ascot) over two-miles-five.”