Anticipation builds for the Lexus

Djakadam and former stable companion Valseur Lido lock horns in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on Wednesday.

Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam made a winning start to the campaign when he successfully defended his crown in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase earlier this month.

A return to three miles is likely to see him in an even better light and jockey Ruby Walsh expects the Willie Mullins-trained gelding to strip fitter for his comeback run.

"He seems to have come out of Punchestown really well," said Walsh.

"I thought he did it well. He picked up to go and win well.

"It was his first run of the season, while Outlander and Sub Lieutenant had a few races under their belt.

"They were probably hard and fit and stuck on to Djakadam's tail into the home straight.

"I imagine he will improve for his first start. He will need to, with Valseur Lido and a few others in it."

Former Mullins inmate Valseur Lido made a hugely impressive start for Henry de Bromhead in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal.

The seven-year-old is one of five runners for Gigginstown House Stud, with the Gordon Elliott-trained pair of Outlander and Don Poli joined by Noel Meade's duo of Road To Riches and Wounded Warrior

Outlander was beaten just over a length by Djakadam at Punchestown, while last year's Lexus hero Don Poli was hugely disappointing on his first start for Elliott at Down Royal.

"Don Poli is working very good at home. If he hadn't run at Down Royal I'd fancy him to run well but he was that bad there it was embarrassing," said Elliott.

"We'll just keep our fingers crossed with him. He's been hunting, so I hope he's better for that as well. He's in good form so we'll see what happens.

"Outlander would be the best horse in a lot of yards. Looking at him, you'd say two and a half miles suits him best, but he's versatile."

Road To Riches, who won the Lexus in 2014, has had an operation on his back since his last run at Gowran in October and Meade feels his charge may benefit from the run.

"He is getting there but I'm not sure if he is there yet," said the Tu Va handler.

"We have to run him somewhere, and we may not get decent ground again for a while." Fine Rightly is an interesting outsider for trainer Stuart Crawford.

The eight-year-old was third in the Irish Gold Cup over this course and distance in February and will benefit from a step up in trip, having proved no match for the brilliant Douvan in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork less than three weeks ago.

Crawford said: "It has been such a dry autumn and we wanted to get a run into him over fences, so that is why we ran him in the Hilly Way Chase last time out.

"Two miles and a furlong is very much a minimum trip for him but he ran well." Zabana won at this meeting last year before going on to win a Grade One at Punchestown but Davy Russell is concerned whether the track will suit.

"I suppose my only concern is the fact that he has a tendency to jump to his right which could ultimately cost him in a race of this quality," he wrote in his Betway blog.

"We'll only know afterwards where we are with him in terms of where we head for the rest of the season.

"I'm hopeful he will put up a bold show, but he is up against it here taking on horses like Valseur Lido and Djakadam."

Other contenders in a 14-strong field include Gilgamboa, the Jonjo O'Neill's pair of Taquin Du Seuil and More Of That and Lord Windermere the 2014 Gold Cup winner who made such a pleasing return to action at Thurles in November.