Harry Topper's win in the Denman Chase has confirmed he will be a force to be reckoned with in the Cheltenham Gold Cup especially if the ground is wet.

Trainer Kim Bailey has long regarded the seven-year-old as his best horse since his 1995 Gold Cup winner Master Oats and treads particularly carefully with him.

After a successful reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, Harry Topper's jumping had deteriorated in two further outings but he coped with the Newbury ground far better than 5-4 favourite Al Ferof in Saturday's Denman Chase and trampled him by 25 lengths.

"We've believed in him from day one. He loves this ground and that makes a huge difference," Bailey said.

"We schooled him this morning over five fences and the last time I did that was when Master Oats won the Gold Cup all those years ago. They are similar horses with similar attitudes.

"He proved when he ran at Sandown he doesn't go on good ground and he won't go to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup unless it's very soft. He doesn't have to go anywhere."

Gold Cup sponsors Betfred have Harry Topper at 20-1.

Al Ferof's trainer Paul Nicholls said the Ryanair Chase might be a better option for his charge.

"I'm not sure he's an out-and-out stayer, certainly in that ground. We'll have to sit down and have a think about it," Nicholls said.