Don Poli© Photo Healy Racing
RSA Chase favourite Don Poli is among a total of 12 horses in the mix for Sunday's Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
A Cheltenham Festival winner over hurdles last season, he has excelled over fences and was a good winner of the Topaz Novice Chase over Christmas.
However, that was over three miles and he would be dropping three furlongs in trip were he to take up his option this weekend.
Advertising the strength in depth of trainer Willie Mullins and owners Gigginstown House Stud, Valseur Lido is another possible. He has not been seen since a very impressive display in the Drinmore Novice Chase in November. Jarry D'Honneur and Adriana Des Mottes are other options for Mullins.
Gigginstown also have Mouse Morris' Rule The World and Band Of Blood under consideration, along with Noel Meade's Very Wood who is another previous Cheltenham winner.
Morris said of Rule The World: "He will either go to Leopardstown this weekend or Navan a week later, we'll just see what the weather does. It's been pretty cold here the last two days.
"He's taken well to fences, I think.
"First time he was only just beaten by a smart mare of Willie's (Adriana Des Mottes) giving her lumps of weight and then the ground was just a little bit testing at Naas.
"That's taking nothing away from the winner (Wounded Warrior), though, because he looks a smart one.
"At that time I just had a few not running up to scratch and I think he could have been one" The Tullow Tank disappointing the last twice for Sandra Hughes, Shanahan's Turn Le Vent D'Antan and Draycott Place are the other possibles.
The race used to be run as the Dr P.J. Moriarty Chase and the likes of Bostons Angel and Cooldine have won it before winning the RSA Chase the following month, while Lord Windermere was beaten in it two years ago before winning at Cheltenham.
