ALAN King will only run Two Rockers at the Cheltenham Festival if the ground is on the soft side.

The six-year-old maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles in impressive fashion at Haydock on Saturday.

Stepped up in class and distance for the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, won by subsequent Festival winner Brindisi Breeze 12 months ago, Two Rockers did not come off the bridle in winning by five lengths.

The Milan gelding is not entered in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham but does hold an entry for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

"It would have to be soft ground for Two Rockers to go to the Festival, and he is very much a horse for next year," King said on alankingracing.co.uk.

"So, while I would not be against bringing him back in trip for the Neptune if conditions were right, equally I would not be too perturbed if we had to give it a miss."

Two Rockers is around 20-1 for the Neptune at Cheltenham.

Smad Place is a possible for the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell next Sunday.

King's grey was well beaten behind Tidal Bay on his seasonal return at Wetherby and while he finished second in a Grade One at Ascot last time, he was beaten 15 lengths by Reve De Sivola in the Long Walk Hurdle.

The six-year-old still has the World Hurdle at Cheltenham as his goal, a race in which he ran so well to finish third last season, and King will decide whether or not to take in Fontwell first later in the week.

"We could run Smad Place at Fontwell in the National Spirit Hurdle," said King on alankingracing.co.uk.

"He worked well on Saturday morning and seems in great form, but we have to decide whether the race is too close to Cheltenham and if we decide to opt out he will go straight for the World Hurdle."

Smad Place is currently 20-1 for the World Hurdle.

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