Rebel Fitz© Photo Healy Racing
Mick Winters hopes Grade One-winning chaser Rebel Fitz has retained all of his old verve when he returns to action at Listowel today.
The popular nine-year-old suffered a setback after recording a first top-level success in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in April - an injury which put paid to a possible tilt at the Galway Plate.
The Kanturk trainer has taken his time with the French-bred gelding, but feels he is now ready to start moving through the gears.
Rebel Fitz makes his comeback in the Listowel Races Supporters Club Slan Abhaile Race, the mile-and-three-quarters event which traditionally brings down the curtain on the seven-day Festival meeting.
Winters said: "He's been working away for the past three weeks and he's been swimming before that.
"He looks well in himself and this looks a nice race to start him back, a mile and six and no jumping.
"The weather looks like it is breaking a bit, which will take the shock out of the ground, although he wouldn't want it gluey.
"Since he got his bang we try to work him on grass as the injury is down near the hoof and he wouldn't want tacky ground pulling at it.
"It's quite stable, though, as there was no real tear, as such.
"It will probably be a day or two after the race before we know how he is.
"Whether his gears are as good as they were before I don't know, but hopefully they are good enough for a mile and six.
"The two-mile (Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet) chase at Leopardstown over Christmas could be a target but we'll have to see how he comes out of the Listowel race first."
Rebel Fitz will certainly not have things all his own way in a 12-runner field featuring the likes of Ted Veale Marchese Marconi Little Rocky and Alton Bay who goes in search of a five-timer.
