Thomas Mor could show he is the forgotten horse in the beginner chasing division when he heads to Ascot for the Injured Jockeys Fund Ambassadors Programme Reynoldstown Novices' Chase on Saturday.

Philip Hobbs and Johnson White's course winner was 2nd to Kitzbuhel in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase on Boxing Day and having seen Kempton 3rd, Wendigo, and 4th, Salver, frank the kind considering that, connections are buoyant ahead of this Grade Two event which might act as a springboard to the Cheltenham Festival.

White stated: "The kind has actually been improved given that Christmas, I was extremely surprised when looking at the Brown Advisory betting to see he is 100-1 and some of the horses that have been behind him and not too far in front are single figures.

"He's in great form and schooled well on Tuesday early morning and returns to Ascot which is a course he won well at on his penultimate start. Conditions must suit and he's 10lb greater than anything else on scores so we have to be enthusiastic.

"We'll get Saturday out the method initially before we think of Cheltenham however at the moment we are thinking of the Grade One.

"This has always been the race we wanted for him after Kempton and we're quite eagerly anticipating the track we are taking."

Thomas Mor has clever course form (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Hobbs and White might also be represented at Ascot by the well-regarded Starzand in the opening Betfair Novices' Hurdle, a race the stable won with Sporting John back in 2020.

Meanwhile, French Ship, another of the Minehead operation's leading lights, is most likely to test the waters in graded business at Haydock when heading to the north west for the ZYN Rendlesham Hurdle.

"He'll most likely go to Haydock instead of the Pertemps qualifier at Wincanton," continued White.

"It will be competitive but he remains in good form and he's run well at Haydock in the past, so there's no reason not to be thinking that way.

"He's in terrific kind and schooled over a couple of difficulties on Tuesday early morning. We could not be better with him and thrilled to see how he gets on."