Racing:Nicky Henderson believes he has Binocular in the best possible shape to retain his williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle title on St Stephens's Day.
Just five will go to post for the Kempton Grade One with Binocular again arriving with a point to prove.
The 2010 Champion Hurdle winner, who missed Cheltenham back in March, defeated Overturn by nearly four lengths in the rearranged event last January, but Donald McCain's admirable performer turned those tables in no uncertain terms in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.
Just like stable star Long Run, who met with defeat on his seasonal reappearance, Henderson expects Binocular to strip much fitter with Newcastle under his belt and confidence was boosted after a schooling session under champion jockey Tony McCoy.
"AP (McCoy) came in and schooled him this morning and jumped four hurdles. I'm very, very pleased with him," said Henderson on Friday. "You might find with him that when he ran at Newcastle, it was the same situation as when Long Run ran at Haydock. He came on tons for his run in the Fighting Fifth last year and he's in great shape.
"The track suits him and he won this race last year. Overturn is bound to go a good gallop, so there'll be no lack of pace on."
Overturnhas been riding the crest of a wave since the corresponding race last season, winning the Chester Cup on the level, the Scottish Summer Champion Hurdle at Perth, the Ascot Hurdle and the Fighting Fifth.
His latest start saw him attempt to give Binocular's progressive stablemate Grandouet 4lb when second in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham.
McCain feels the ground is crucial for Overturn to be seen at his best, but he is happy with current conditions at Kempton.
"He seems grand. He's bounced out of Cheltenham and the ground has come in his favour so we'll give it a go," said McCain. "You never know how they have recovered from races until you run them and I suppose we'll find out if it's one race too many further down the line. But at this time of year the weather could change in a couple of days and that might be him for two months, so we'll take our chance while we can.
"He ran well in the race last season and he's been better this time around so fingers crossed."
McCain's stable jockey Jason Maguire is eagerly anticipating another bold show.
"I can't wait for it. The ground is good to soft there and that should be fine," he told At The Races. "He's been excellent all year and he keeps coming back for more and giving his all. He ran another cracker at Cheltenham and we're hoping for a big run again."
Rock On Rubyrepresents Paul Nicholls and will have plenty of supporters following the result of The Ladbroke last week.
On his seasonal return he had Raya Star, who was receiving 13lb, over 10 lengths behind him in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury, while he was beaten just a short head by First Lieutenant at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Nicholls also runs Sanctuaire, the mount of Daryl Jacob, but feels Rock On Ruby, who was not named after his jockey Ruby Walsh, has the strongest claims of his pair.
The Champion Hurdle is one of the few major prizes in National Hunt racing which still eludes the champion trainer, and victory for Rock On Ruby would see him figure prominently in the ante-post lists.
"We've got the two runners and you would have to say Rock On Ruby goes there with a strong chance on his Newbury form, while Sanctuaire has an outside chance," said Nicholls. "Rock On Ruby just arrived with the name he's been given - it's actually nothing to do with Ruby."
Clerk's Choice, sixth in the Champion Hurdle, has his second start for Oliver Sherwood, while the two withdrawals were McCain's Drill Sergeant and Tom George's Olofi, who will now wait for Newbury on New Year's Eve.