Cheltenham Festival; David Pipe’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite Moon Racer set for a run later this month before Cheltenham

DAVID PIPE is considering giving Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Moon Racer a "low-key" assignment on his next appearance.

Winner of the 2015 Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, the eight-year-old returned from over a year on the sidelines to finish a close second in the equivalent event at Punchestown last April.

He made a successful start to his hurdling career when he saw off another Champion Bumper hero in Ballyandy at Perth in September, and confirmed that form with an impressive display in a Supreme trial at Cheltenham two months later.

Pipe said: "Moon Racer is in good form and is probably going to have a run later this month.

"I think we're going to go low-key somewhere, but we'll see."

The Irish import is a best-priced 6-1 favourite for the Festival curtain-raiser on March 14, but Pipe is not getting carried away.

"He probably does (set the standard), but there's a long way to go," said the Pond House handler.