Harbour Pilot, gallant third to Best Mate in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, has received the green light for the Punchestown Heineken Gold Cup on April 28th.
Noel Meade's horse bypassed Aintree in favour of a crack at this prestigious event and the Castletown handler could not be happier with his charge.
"Harbour Pilot will relish the current soft ground at the track and is in very good form," he said.
Most of the Punchestown festival ground has been rested over the last year and 60mm of rain has fallen at the track since March 10th, compared with only 9mm for the same period last year.
Other high-profile stars set to run include Hardy Eustace, who will contest the Emo Oil Champion Hurdle along with Rooster Booster, Iris's Gift, who is due to line up for the Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers' Hurdle, and Moscow Flyer, whose target is the Betdaq.com Champion Chase.