Alderwood winning at Cheltenham© Photo Healy Racing
Tom Mullins is looking forward to giving Alderwood his seasonal debut in the Poplar Square Chase at Naas today.
While the Co Kilkenny handler does not expect the J P McManus-owned nine-year-old to be at his peak for his first run of the winter campaign, he reports last season's Grand Annual Chase winner at the Cheltenham Festival to have returned from his summer break in great nick.
"He's very well and has come back better than ever, so hopefully we can look forward to a nice season," said Mullins.
"It won't be his Derby, but he's well-in at the weights so we're letting him blow the cobwebs off and see where we go after that.
"He's been back in a couple of months. This is a very suitable race for him so we're starting him off there. It's only two miles, we'll see how we go and then we might make a plan afterwards."
A host of top trainers are represented in what looks a quality field for the seven-runner Grade Three contest.
In what looks a good renewal, Willie Mullins saddles Twinlight Gordon Elliott has Realt Mor Jessica Harrington relies on Oscars Well Noel Meade plumps for Dylan Ross and Paul Nolan has Sweeney Tunes.
The Henry de Bromhead-trained Special Tiara who took the scalp of Overturn in the Grade One John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April, completes the septet.
On an interesting card, Ted Walsh's Colbert Station makes his return to action in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle, for what will be his first start since unseating at The Chair when well-fancied for the Grand National at Aintree in April. Rule The World second to The New One in the Neptune at Cheltenham in March, runs in the Hospitality At Naas Racecourse Hurdle, while smart novice hurdler Defy Logic has his first run over fences for Paul Nolan in the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Beginners Chase.
