Vroum Vroum Mag bids to bounce back from her narrow defeat at Fairyhouse at the start of the month in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The seven-year-old suffered her first defeat in 11 starts since joining Willie Mullins when narrowly beaten by former stablemate Apple's Jade in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle.

The champion trainer's son and assistant, Patrick Mullins, expects the top-class mare to bounce back on Wednesday.

He said: "I don't think going back up to three miles will be any problem for her.

"She settles so well in her races, which is a huge advantage in staying races.

"We think she's come on for the run in Fairyhouse and we're hoping she can get back to winning ways."

Vroum Vroum Mag is one of four runners for the Closutton trainer, with Shaneshill Clondaw Warrior and Whiteout also in an eight-strong field.

Mullins jnr gets the leg-up on Shaneshill for the first time since his bumper days.

"Shaneshill always runs a great race and nearly always picks up prize-money," said the amateur rider.

"The ground is quite good in Leopardstown, which will suit him, and he's as good a back-up as you could have, should something happen to 'Mag'.

"Clondaw Warrior has won at Royal Ascot and he's a Galway Hurdle winner - he's an amazing horse.

"This is another avenue for him - running in a Grade One over hurdles - and it is a big step up, but he stayed so well on the Flat you wouldn't have thought three miles over hurdles will trouble him.

"The ground will suit him, too, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ran above himself.

"Whiteout is a Grade One winner and needed her first run of the season.

"This is a big step up, but she deserves her place in the race and hopefully she can pick up some more black type."

The Noel Meade-trained Snow Falcon impressed in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan on his penultimate start and was still travelling powerfully when falling three flights from the finish in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last month.

Meade said: "Snow Falcon certainly wasn't finished racing when he fell (three out) the last day at Newbury, and the way the winner (Unowhatimeanharry) has won since, we are certainly not tilting at windmills.

"He pulled a bit of a muscle behind but he seems okay.

"The physio has done a lot of work on him, and seems to have done a pretty good job." Kotkikova is a fascinating contender for Nicky Henderson.

The JP McManus-owned mare was prolific over hurdles and fences in France and makes her debut for her new connections in this Grade One contest.

Gordon Elliott 's De Plotting Shed and the Mouse Morris-trained Milsean complete the line-up.