Next Sensation could return to Cheltenham next week for the £50,000 Randox Health Handicap Chase over two miles on day two of The Showcase, Saturday, October 21.
The nine-year-old gained the biggest victory of his career at Cheltenham when capturing the 2015 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase over an extended two miles at The Festival.
He failed to build on that victory last season, including three attempts at two and a half miles, but returned to form last time out with a battling success in a two-mile handicap chase at Newton Abbot on September 26.
Herefordshire-based trainer Michael Scudamore said: “Cheltenham next week is under consideration for the Next Sensation.
“He is also in at Kempton this weekend so we will have a look at that but Cheltenham is in the back of my mind.
“He has come out of Newton Abbot really well. For whatever reason last season he seemed his normal self at home but each time he got to the track he was lack-lustre. He just didn’t have his usual zip and spark.
“Luckily, he has come back to a bit form and was a bit unlucky at Cartmel [where he fell three fences out] before winning at Newton Abbot.
“I am just hoping that the recent win will give him the confidence to kick on again.”
Randox Health also sponsors the other feature of The Showcase, the £50,000 Randox Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.
Friday’s card could see Weatherbys Champion Bumper hero Ballyandy bid for a first victory over hurdles in either the two-mile Harrison James & Hardie Maiden Hurdle or the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle over five furlongs further.
Other highlights include £35,000 Masterson Holdings Hurdle and the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle, the first in a series of qualifiers for the Pertemps Network Final at The Festival in March.
There are seven races each day, with the first race due off at 2.10pm on the Friday and 1.50pm on the Saturday.