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Warren Greatrex believes Cole Harden will give ante-post favourite Thistlecrack a race granted suitable ground in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.
Thistlecrack strengthened his claims for the Festival with an impressive victory in the Cleeve Hurdle on Saturday.
Colin Tizzard's vastly-improved eight-year-old is a short price to take the title, but Greatrex still has faith in the reigning champion, who was third to Thistlecrack in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November.
Cole Harden has just had the one run since then, when third to Camping Ground over an extended two and a half miles on heavy ground at Cheltenham on New Years's Day.
"Thistlecrack won very easily on Saturday. I was hoping something would give him more of a race," the Lambourn trainer told At The Races.
"You had to be impressed but hopefully March will be different conditions.
"Our horse stayed on well behind Thistlecrack at Newbury and my fellow is a hard horse to get fit and takes a lot of work.
"I'm happier with him at this stage than I was last year because he had to have his wind done.
"We haven't had to do that this year, he's doing plenty of work and seems in really good nick.
"The key to my lad is the ground. I know on good ground our horse is the one Thistlecrack should be most worried about as he's been there and done it.
"On good ground he can go a hell of a gallop and sustain that for three miles.
"If we can get him there in tip-top form he will run very well."