Racing: Paul Nicholls is confident Denman can pick up the gauntlet from Kauto Star in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown tomorrow.
The Ditcheat team completed the first leg of a possible big-race double when the Gold Cup winner sluiced home in the King George VI Chase on St Stephen's Day.
Nicholls now anticipates another huge display from seamless Hennessy scorer Denman, the young pretender to Kauto Star's crown at the Cheltenham Festival.
He said: "Denman is fine and it is all systems go with him. He gave a cough on the Monday after the Hennessy which caused a bit of a scare, but it didn't worry us and it was blown out of all proportion.
"I was concerned he would need the run in the Hennessy as it had been a funny autumn and he is a tank of a horse. He has tightened up from then and I do think he has come on for the run.
"He won nicely last time, but you can only win a race the way it happens on the day."
Denman, who has lost just once in 11 races, is as short as 4-9 with Paddy Power to win the Grade One Lexus. Ruby Walsh's mount faces stiff opposition from last year's winner The Listener, who looked in rude health when landing the spoils in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown.
Ten-time Grade One winner Beef Or Salmon has claimed this race on three occasions and teams up with the rejuvenated Mossbank from Michael Hourigan's yard.