Charlie Swan is "hopeful" of breaking his duck in the Ladbroke Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow.
The 10-time champion, without a win in the race's 13-year history, is due to partner Afarad, the 3-1 favourite with the sponsors, for trainer Christy Roche and owner JP McManus.
Last season's Triumph Hurdle third has been favourite for the £100,000 contest since the weights were published, after a winning reappearance at Naas in November and Swan is cautiously optimistic about his prospects.
He said: "I hope I've got a good chance. I would say I was hopeful.
"It looks as though there's only going to be about 14 runners which makes life a bit easier but it is still a competitive race with the likes of She's Our Mare, Knife Edge, Mantles Prince and the English horse Geos in the line-up.
"I don't really know where the pace is going to come from - Derrymoyle I suppose is sure to be up there.
"It won't matter to Afarad how fast they go because he has a touch of class. He is at his best coming from off the pace."
Afarad could be displaced at the top of the market tomorrow by big-race specialist She's Our Mare who has been heavily backed in recent days.
Tony Martin's stable star justified support in big betting races like the Tote Cambridgeshire and Crowther Homes Swinton Hurdle last year and is reunited with regular rider David Casey, who has been freed by Oliver Sherwood.
Also well backed has been Michael O'Brien's Knife Edge, eight places behind Afarad in the Triumph but poised to finish second behind Istabraq at Leopardstown last month until sprawling on landing over the final flight.
Main hope for a third British win in 14 runnings of the race is William Hill Hurdle third Geos, for whom Nicky Henderson has booked leading local rider Barry Geraghty.
He is joined by David Evans' Master Beveled (Glen Tormey), a remote third behind Limestone Lad and Istabraq at Fairyhouse in November.
But Steve Gollings has withdrawn rank outsider Get The Point from a race for which only 15 horses were declared today, the smallest line-up since 1988.
Many have clearly been deterred by the presence of dual Champion Hurdle runner-up Theatreworld at the head of the field, preventing the weights from rising and forcing seven runners to race from out of the handicap.
Of the other home challengers Dermot Weld's Archive Footage (David Evans) will be bidding to emulate last year's victory and become the first repeat winner since Redundant Pal in 1989 and 1990.
Quinze, who has been declared for the Ladbroke, will miss the race after suffering a recurrence of the skin allergy which ruled the Pat Hughes-trained seven-year-old out of an engagement at Fairyhouse on Monday.
"He worked earlier and he was all right but then he came out in spots again so he won't be going anywhere tomorrow," Hughes said.
Ladbrokes bet: 3-1 Afarad, 9-2 Knife Edge, She's Our Mare, 6-1 Geos, 10-1 Mantles Prince, 12-1 Archive Footage, 14-1 Native Dara, Golden Rule, 16-1 Derrymoyle, Theatreworld, 20-1 Ajar, Master Beveled, 25-1 Greenstead, 50-1 Afrostar.
