David Pipe is hoping Ashkazar can develop into a serious Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle contender.
After winning the Imperial Cup at Sandown, Pipe's four-year-old just failed to land a huge bonus for connections when second only three days later in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Pond House handler is hoping Ashkazar can improve again this season though, and believes there is plenty more to come this term.
‘He's only four now and he's from a late-maturing family, bred by the Aga Khan,’ said Pipe.
‘All he's done since he came here is improve. He wasn't a typical three-year-old when he came here last year.
‘He's got plenty of bone, plenty of size and he will jump a fence but we might just have a bit more fun over hurdles first.
‘He's working into a serious work horse, but to start with he was very laid back and didn't set the world alight but he's really come to himself.
‘He's in great order and if we keep him in one piece, we should have a lot of good days.
‘He's similar to what Osana was at this stage last year, he's got to improve again, he's 20-1 for the Champion but we hope he can (improve).
‘He'll tell us how he performs on the course (where we go with him). He'll start off in one of the big handicaps or level-weights races and we'll decide where we go after that,’ he told At The Races.
