Shanahan's Turn© Photo Healy Racing
After the Sizing Europe years, Ann and Alan Potts, and Henry de Bromhead, attempt to take the honours for the fifth time in succession in the Grade Two PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday.
Their representative this year is comfortable Galway Plate scorer Shanahan's Turn
Jonathan Burke had the pleasure of steering the now-retired Sizing Europe to the final win of his career when he triumphed here 12 months back and after their heroics at Ballybrit the County Cork teenager and Shanahan's Turn team up again.
Back to two and a half miles now, Shanahan's Turn, bred and point-to-pointed by the local Bluegate Stud, is second top-rated in a field of seven, with an assessment of 153 - 6Ib behind Clarcam
De Bromhead said: "He seems good. He was very good at Galway and it was great to see him win a big race like that. He jumped fantastically there and he appreciated the bit of nice ground.
"We'll see how tomorrow goes and that will determine future plans. I had it in mind to give him a break over the winter or possibly keep him on the go up to Christmas time."
Burke said: "I'm really looking forward to it, we all know how impressive he was in Galway and he has his ground again.
"He was very impressive at the beginning of last season, but he got lost on the heavy ground.
"He came back to form on better ground and showed at Galway what he could do.
"He's working well and Henry is happy with him."
The aforementioned Clarcam (the mount of Bryan Cooper) steps out of novice company for the first time. Last season's campaign yielded no less than two Grade Ones for Gordon Elliott's exciting five-year-old.
The French-bred enjoyed the transition up to two and a half miles in the Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree in April, and Gigginstown House Stud's Eddie O'Leary said: "He has to start back somewhere and he'll come on from the run.
"He's obviously a very nice horse, but it's his first run back after the summer."
The County Westmeath operation also have the Willie Mullins-trained Devils Bride (David Mullins up) in contention, and O'Leary acknowledged: "Of course it's a big ask for Devils Bride, but he has the fitness edge on Clarcam.
"He has to improve a lot to worry Shanahan's Turn, but at this time of the year some of them are going forward and others are going back."
Mullins has other strings to his bow in Alelchi Inois (Ruby Walsh) and Indevan (Paul Townend).
A winner over ftimber at this meeting two years back, Cailin Annamh flies the flag for the fairer sex, under Barry Geraghty for Jessica Harrington.
Noel Meade's Texas Jack was s econd to Champagne Fever in a similar contest over the track and trip back in February and will have a new partner when he lines up under Sean Flanagan for Noel Meade.
