ALARY will try to restore his Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup prospects when having his second start in Britain in the 188bet.co.uk Graduation Chase at Exeter this Sunday.

The Colin Tizzard-trained French recruit came with a big reputation but failed to fire on his debut on these shores when pulled up in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock last month.

However, he was found to be off-colour and has received treatment.

Tizzard’s son and assistant, Joe, told Racinguk.com: “It was well publicised that Alary coughed and scoped dirty after his run at Haydock but he’s had a course of antibiotics to clear that up and seems absolutely fine at home.

“As he’s only won twice he can still run in graduation races and the Exeter one is over three miles. We’ll go small with him, find our feet and see where we are after next weekend.

“Often it takes a while for French horses to acclimatise but he’s shown us enough at home for us to know he’s a very nice horse and hence the hype that came with him first time out.”

Finian’s Oscar, a leading contender for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham after winning the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown last month, is also set to run at Exeter.

He is due to reappear in the Listed Free Bet At 188Bet Novices’ Hurdle over an extended two miles.

“We were umming and ahhing whether to run him again but he’s in great form and there’s no reason not to,” said Tizzard.

“Two miles around Exeter will be similar to the two miles he encountered at Sandown. He wants a stiff two miles and he will almost certainly end up in the Neptune.”

Native River, the Hennessy and Coral National hero, is heading to Newbury on Saturday for the Betfair Denman Chase as his prep for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Tizzard said: “We want to get another run into him because he’s had only two runs over fences this season and it’s a long time from the end of December (when he won at Chepstow) until mid-March.”

Joining him at Newbury will be Fox Norton, the stable’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase hope, who has been sidelined since winning the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham in November.

“We are keen to get a run into him because he was stood in his box for a month after his run at Cheltenham,” said Tizzard.

“He’s done a done a lot of work and is in lovely form.”