L’HOMME Presse could run again before March's Cheltenham Gold Cup, says his Wye Valley trainer Venetia Williams following his January 25 win on the same course in the Cotswold Chase.

The ten-year-old was injured when second two from home in last year's Gold Cup, finally finishing fourth, and impressed with third in his race return on Boxing Day in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

And having fended off Stage Star under jockey Charlie Deutsch to win at Cheltenham last month, Williams is surveying his options, with a possible tilt on February 15 in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase, where he finished second last year.

"He's come out of the Cotswold really well," Williams told Racing Post. "I was thrilled with him at Cheltenham and it was nice to see him going away at the line.

"He might have a run in between and there are one or two possibilities. Ascot is obviously one of the options and hopefully we'll have the opportunity to run him between now and the festival."

After Cotswold Chase victory by 3/4L from Irish raider Stage Star, the bookies have slashed his Gold Cup odds to 16/1.

But Williams doesn't think another race would damage his odds, saying: "He's a veteran now who hasn't had a lot of racing and it's not all about Cheltenham, is it?"

Kings Caple stablemate Royale Pagaille missed out in his Peter Marsh Handicap Chase hat-trick bid at Haydock last month, but she said the Betfair Chase winner on the same course in December could return to his favourite course for the Grand National Trial the same day as the Ascot Chase.

Meanwhile, Williams and her yard were celebrating again on Saturday when 3/1 favourite Sole Solution, ridden by Deutsch, won Sandown's £17,000 Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Novices' Handicap Hurdle by 1/2L from French horse Kalif d'Airy.