Beef Or Salmon, Ireland's leading hope of dethroning Best Mate at Cheltenham next March, will look to beat off seven rivals in the Grade One James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal tomorrow.
Michael Hourigan's eight-year-old will be having his second start of the season after finishing fifth under a big weight in the Munster National last month.
"He is in good form," the Co Limerick-based handler said today. "I'm looking forward to seeing him back out tomorrow. He is very well.
"His last race will have brought him on and I think the ground (soft) will be fine for him."
Beef Or Salmon will again take on Colca Canyon, who won the Munster National, along with Arthur Moore's Glenelly Gale, who finished in fourth.
Kicking King will have his first try at three miles after scoring impressively in a Grade Two contest at Gowran last month, with Rathgar Beau, who finished fourth on that occasion, also declared to run.
Noel Meade saddles Gold Cup third Harbour Pilot with Byron Lamb and Zurs completing the field.
Hourigan said the main dangers will probably come Kicking King and Harbour Pilot.
Harbour Pilot is an old sparring partner of Beef Or Salmon, although he often comes off second best and has finished behind his rival three out of the five times they have met.
Trainer Noel Meade feels his nine-year-old may have to settle for a minor role once again tomorrow.
"I am sure Beef Or Salmon is the one they all have to beat, he looks to have more pace than most of them," Meade said.
Harbour Pilot will be having his first start of the autumn, having twice won at the top level and seven times in all.
"He is in good shape, has summered well and I have had no problems with him. He might just not be 100 per cent wound up but he is fit enough to be competitive," Meade continued.
"Like most horses, he will probably benefit from his first run but he does run well enough fresh."