BARBURY Castle trainer Alan King will only run Two Rockers at the Cheltenham Festival if the ground is on the soft side.

The six-year-old maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles in impressive fashion at Haydock on Saturday.

Stepped up in class and distance for the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, won by subsequent Festival winner Brindisi Breeze 12 months ago, Two Rockers did not come off the bridle in winning by five lengths.

The Milan gelding is not entered in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham but does hold an entry for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

“It would have to be soft ground for Two Rockers to go to the Festival, and he is very much a horse for next year,” King said.

“So, while I would not be against bringing him back in trip for the Neptune if conditions were right, equally I would not be too perturbed if we had to give it a miss.”

Two Rockers is around 20-1 for the Neptune at Cheltenham.