Jockey Bryan Cooper hopes the application of cheekpieces can help Tiger Roll raise his game in the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Last season's Triumph Hurdle hero made a winning return to action for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud at Cheltenham in October, but was pulled up on his next start at Down Royal.

Tiger Roll was then a well-beaten sixth in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas and will be a big outsider as he again takes on Jezki and Hurricane Fly

Cooper said: "He's obviously got to improve on what he did at Christmas.

"He just wasn't 100 per cent at Christmas and we're hoping cheekpieces will sharpen him up a bit.

"Hopefully he'll run a better race than he did the last day, but it's going to be tough and you probably won't see the best of him until he gets on better ground in the spring.

"It's just great to be riding in a race like this, with two great horses like Hurricane Fly and Jezki in the race."