Salsify© Photo Healy Racing
Salsify is reported in great heart as he belatedly bids to become the first three-time winner of the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase.
After coming from well of the pace to prevail in 2012 and then benefitting from the agonising late slip of Oscar Delta 12 months later, Rodger Sweeney's charge was ruled out last year due to injury.
However, connections are hoping the old sparkle is still there following a satisfactory blow-out at Leopardstown last month, when prominent for a long way until fading back into fourth behind Prince De Beauchene and On The Fringe
Rider Colman Sweeney said: "Salsify's in great form and came on a lot from Leopardstown. We were very happy with him afterwards as we knew he was going to blow up as he was very fresh and a bit keen with me.
"He's as good as he was the last two times he was going to Cheltenham, so fingers crossed. If you're looking at Leopardstown you'd say we have a bit to find with On The Fringe, but we've a good bit of fitness to come too.
"Every day we met On The Fringe when we were fit, we beat him, so we're gauging it on that. If we have him back to what he was, we should be very close." Paint The Clouds established himself as a leading player in this sphere when hacking up in a valuable contest at Stratford last May and the 10-year-old showed his well-being with a Doncaster success a month ago.
Top amateur Sam Waley-Cohen will be in the saddle and Warren Greatrex said of his charge: "He is a real star and I have so much affection for him.
"He's six from six over fences and has come out of his Doncaster run in great form. He'll have improved fitness-wise for that, I'm very happy with him and I'd say he deserves to be at the top of the market.
"He's two from three over hurdles at Cheltenham. He stays very well, he travels very well and his jumping has been good. I don't have any worries. We also have a very good jockey on him." Current Event was bought by Sheikh Fahad Al Thani earlier this week and will now run in the same Pearl Bloodstock colours which Dunaden carried to victory in the 2011 Melbourne Cup.
The eight-year-old is trained by Paul Nicholls' assistant Rose Loxton and new racing manager David Redvers said: "He's a horse that fits the profile for the race." Noble Prince is a former JLT Novices' Chase winner and Paul Nolan said: "He was also seventh in the Coral Cup last year so we know he likes it around Cheltenham. He's in good form and won well at Punchestown the last day." Vital Plot is another who has been rejuvenated by running between the flags in Ireland and jockey Jamie Codd commented: "We felt his wind needed looking at so he's been cauterized and hopefully that will help him."
