Roi Du Mee and Bryan Cooper winning the Grade 1 Jnwine.com Champion Chase© Photo Healy Racing
Bryan Cooper has nominated Roi Du Mee as his best chance of a winner this weekend as the 10-year-old bids for a second triumph in the At The Races Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse.
Roi Du Mee clinched the Grade Two prize two years ago for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud, but was pulled up in last year's renewal as On His Own claimed a narrow victory ahead of his narrow reverse in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
There does not appear to be anything of that calibre in the race this time around, however, and Cooper is hopeful his mount can give weight and a beating to his four opponents.
Speaking in his blog for Racing FX, the jockey said: "It's a quiet weekend of racing over in Ireland, but I have a nice ride on Roi Du Mee in the Bobbyjo Chase.
"He hadn't been running very well but bounced back last time, looking good at Tramore. He loves heavy ground and is a real out-and-out stayer. He's definitely my best chance of the weekend."
Roi Du Mee's most obvious danger is Spring Heeled who won the Kim Muir at last year's Cheltenham Festival for trainer Jim Culloty before finishing fifth in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and fourth in the Galway Plate.
The eight-year-old has not been seen since the latter of those races in late July and jockey Davy Russell expects the potential Grand National contender to improve through the spring.
He said: "Jim is happy with him at home and we'll see what happens. He is probably more of a horse for later in the year, but we've got to get him out and this looks a good place to start.
"We'll look at Saturday before we look any further."
Liam Burke's My Murphy was a distant second behind Gold Cup hope Djakadam in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park last month, while John Ryan saddles his stable stalwart Foildubh
Claire O'Connell 's apparent no-hoper Kennoway completes the field.
