Next Destination booked his place on the Willie Mullins team for Cheltenham with a stylish success in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle last Sunday.

With Ruby Walsh still on the sidelines with a broken leg, Paul Townend did the steering aboard the hot favourite at Naas and they came home clear winners from Gordon Elliott’s Cracking Smart.

Townend said: “From the day he won his maiden here he was exciting and thankfully he’s gone and done it again.

“He seems to be improving and growing up. Hopefully, it’s onward and upwards.”

Next Destination is heading for the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham, the first race on day two of the festival.

He is generally an 8/1 shot for that race, second favourite behind Gordon Elliott’s 9/4 market-leader Samcro, who missed the Naas race due to an unsatisfactory scope midweek.

Samcro is due to reappear at Leopardstown on Sunday, 4 February.