Sam Waley-Cohen is confident that Long Run will build on his success in the King George VI Chase as the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup begins to creep closer.

The ultra-talented French import cruised to success in the Grade One showpiece and Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old is currently at the forefront of the market for the blue riband.

Waley-Cohen explained: "He's done extremely well since the race and has even perked up and really sharpened himself.  It's just a case of keeping him calm and getting him to the races.

"I try to get down to Nicky's once a week and before the race I will try to get down there to school a couple of times and ride work a couple of times.  At the end of the day it's just about maintaining the relationship and trying to be there for the key pieces.

"People said he jumped brilliantly in the King George and he did, but he made some errors as well and there is a possibility that he'll get better than that.  He ran a fantastic race but he should come on for it and let's hope he can come out and show that form again.

"There are three previous winners in this year's Gold Cup and they'll all be there running big races. A race like that takes so much winning and you need so much luck on the day.  You open the paper and look at the opposition and you just think it's a great honour to be among them."