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The Young Master will make his return to the track in the Mappin & Webb Silver Cup at Ascot on Saturday.

Neil Mulholland's five-year-old was a brilliant 'winner' of the Badger Ales Trophy at Wincanton in early November under Barry Geraghty, only to be subsequently disqualified after it emerged he was not qualified to run under the race conditions.

Despite being stripped of victory, The Young Master will have to compete off a stone higher mark when he reappears this weekend.

Mulholland's charge also holds an entry in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock, but will head for Berkshire, with Geraghty booked to ride once again.

Mulholland said: "It's always been the plan to run at Ascot. We just gave him the entry at Haydock as a back-up option, but he'll go to Ascot, all being well.

"He seems in good form. He worked this morning and we're very happy with him.

"Barry (Geraghty) rides him again which is great. He knows him well and he deserves to ride him after what happened at Wincanton."

The Somerset-based trainer also had news of The Druids Nephew, not seen since finishing seventh in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury last month.

"The plan with The Druids Nephew is to give him a run over hurdles at the end of January and then go for the three-mile handicap chase at the (Cheltenham) Festival," said Mulholland.

"He ran really well in the Hennessy and travelled well into the straight.

"He's gone up 5lb for that, but we think he's on a mark he can be competitive off at Cheltenham, which is why we're keen to protect it by running over hurdles."