Shropshire racehorse owner John Hales’ star chaser Neptune Collonges is set to sidestep the Grand National and run instead in his third Cheltenham Gold Cup, trainer Paul Nicholls has revealed.

The flying grey has been allotted joint top weight of 11st 10lb for the Aintree spectacular in April, but Nicholls says it is “unlikely” that the 11-year-old will take his chance.

Neptune Collonges is back this season after a long injury lay-off and proved he was right back to his best with a convincing win in the Argento Chase.

Although he is entered for the Grand National the plan is likely to be Cheltenham followed by a trip to Punchestown.

“He ran a cracking race the other day when he made all the running,” said Nicholls at his pre-Cheltenham media day at his yard in Ditcheat, Somerset.

“As a result of that he was given top weight for the Grand National but I suspect it will be unlikely that he will run.

“He’s run in a couple of Gold Cups and been placed twice. The intention is to run him. At his very best he could run into a place.”

Nicholls also revealed that Neptune Collonges had been the subject of another injury scare after his recent victory.

He returned to Ditcheat sore and was lame for 48 hours but x-rays gave him the all-clear and he is now back on track for Cheltenham in three weeks’ time.

Nicholls was parading 15 of his Cheltenham runners, among them another owned by the Hales family.

Al Ferof is Neptune’s younger half-brother and is entered in the Supreme Novices Hurdle on the first day of the Festival and the Neptune Investment Hurdle on the second day, with the ground conditions the deciding factor on which is his final target.