Princeful makes his return to racecourse action in the Grosvenor Casinos Long Distance Hurdle at Ascot tomorrow.
The gelding won the Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1998 when trained by Jenny Pitman and went on to win the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot that December, pipping Martin Pipe's Deano's Beeno following a titanic struggle.
However, the nine-year-old has been off the course since January last year when he fractured his near-hind pedal bone in a fall on his chasing debut at Doncaster.
Now in the care of Mandy Bowlby, Princeful faces nine rivals in the Grade Two contest.
They include Deano's Beeno who reverts to hurdling following a successful debut over fences at Newbury in February.
Rubhahunish, who broke the course record when winning the Ladbroke Casinos Final at Cheltenham last time, steps up in class, while Rendlesham Hurdle winner Teaatral returns to action after missing Cheltenham because of fast ground.
