Racing: Willie Mullins has more worries than just the presence of Tatenen as he prepares to saddle Cooldine in the Durkan New Homes Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Friday.
The six-year-old won five novice hurdles in a row at the start of the year before being upped significantly in class to finish fourth behind Blazing Bailey at the Punchestown Festival. He looked good in taking a beginners' chase at Thurles in November.
Mullins said: "It looks a very strong contest. The way the ground is drying out would be my major worry, but I am keen to get him some more experience over the minimum trip before we think about stepping him up in distance."
Mullins' highly-rated young rider Paul Townend will be in the plate against seven other rivals apart from Tatenen.
They include the progressive Made In Taipan and Thomas Cooper's likeable Forpadydeplasterer.
Nicholls, meanwhile, told Teletext: "The track and ground should suit him. It will be the toughest race he has run in with Cooldine and Forpadydeplasterer in there.
"But he gets 11lb off the older horses and it was the obvious race for him."