Fan favourite Marine Nationale is expected to return to action in the Punchestown Champion Chase.
The two-time Cheltenham Festival winner was a notable absentee from last month's action at Prestbury Park but is firmly on course for a reappearance on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.
Marine Nationale headlines an eight-strong list of entries for the Grade 1 event in County Kildare.
Trainer Barry Connell is relishing the challenge of taking on Champion Chase winner Il Etait Temps back at the scene of his stable star's last top-level success 12 months ago.
“If you were take a positive out of missing Cheltenham I suppose it’s that he goes to Punchestown fresh. He runs well fresh and has won after big breaks before, so it’s not going to be an issue.
“I think we beat him [Il Etait Temps] by nine lengths in the Supreme (Novices’ Hurdle, 2024) and jumping-wise I wouldn’t say he’s a better jumper than us.
"I know he beat us in Leopardstown as a novice chaser, but we weren’t right on the day.
“We’re happy with our horse, he has won a Champion Chase this year and we won one last year, so it’ll be a good match-up.”
Aside from the big two, Majborough, Blood Destiny and Energumene have been entered from Closutton alongside Henry de Bromhead's Captain Guinness, Harry Fry's Gidleigh Park and Joseph O'Brien's three-time Grade 1 winner Solness.
O'Brien landed this contest two years ago with Banbridge and will send Solness to Punchestown off the back of a gallant effort behind Grey Dawning in the Melling Chase.
Willie Mullins - winning trainer for five consecutive years prior to 2024 - is seeking to pull off a remarkable hat-trick with 12-year-old Energumene.
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