A run in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day appears the most likely of two options for Coneygree should the Gold Cup winner appear over the Christmas period.
The Mark Bradstock-trained eight-year-old, who was forced to miss the Hennessy after a setback, also holds an engagement in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.
Speaking at a King George lunch on Monday afternoon, Bradstock said he would "definitely prefer to stay in England" while also adding he had received strong representation from officials in Ireland and that the Lexus was "still a possibility".
A schooling session on Tuesday is likely to prove pivotal in deciding whether to run at Christmas or pursue other possibilities.
Bradstock said: "I don't know yet in regards to Boxing Day, it would probably be a 'yes' if we didn't have the supplementary fee (£10,000) and you can't get away from that.
"Obviously he has got the entry for the Lexus, if we're serious about going for that you have to leave on Boxing Day, but I'd definitely prefer to stay in England. There are still quite a few things he's got to get over and he's schooling tomorrow.
"We can possibly take the softer option of ignoring Christmas and going to the Cotswold Chase or the Denman, but if all is well and it certainly seems in that mould we'll give it (Christmas) a go.
"It does depend on how he jumps when we school him tomorrow.
"Before the Hennessy his jumping was great, but not how it normally is. I think the foot problem was the initial issue, then whether the foot problem might have moved on to something a bit different and maybe he ripped something else, that may have been an issue.
"He will run his race, it's like the Cheltenham Gold Cup, there are some pretty cool contenders in that (King George). He will run his type of race and if he does not win we'll still move onwards and upwards.
"He is sound now and seems in very good health."
Regarding Leopardstown and the Lexus, he added: "They have been fantastic and definitely enticed us to go to Ireland, and it's definitely still a possibility."
