Barton takes on five rivals when he makes his eagerly-awaited comeback in the Pertemps `Fighting Fifth` Hurdle at Newcastle tomorrow.
Tim Easterby`s charge, owned by Newcastle racecourse chairman Stan Clarke, showed himself to be out of the top drawer with a stunning victory in the Sun Alliance Novices` Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1999.
But he had to miss all of last season after suffering a tendon injury.
Barton`s opposition in the #39,000 Grade 2 contest include one of Scandinavia`s top jumpers Rambo Flyer and useful ex-French horse Musardo.
Rambo Flyer, trained by Are Hyldmo in Norway, won the Ovrevoll Champion Hurdle in 1998 and 1999 before falling in the same race this year.
Musardo is owned by Patricia Thompson, whose purple colours were carried to victory in the Grand National by Party Politics.
Musardo joined Venetia Williams after finishing fourth in a chase at Enghien in May. The five-year-old won twice over timber at the same course the previous year.
With Mr Cool and Seebald pulled out this morning, Martin Pipe`s sole representative will be The French Furze. Brian Harding`s mount was second in a handicap at Cheltenham earlier in the month.
The durable campaigner Master Beveled is back in action after a below-par effort last time and the field is completed by Bring Sweets who is now trained by Brian Ellison after previously being in the care of Pipe.
