Danoli may have missed out on the Gold Cup and the Cheltenham festival but he takes another step today to what connections will hope is a resounding conclusion to the season in the Punchestown festival's Heineken Gold Cup.

Tom Foley's star has steadily improved in his races since returning from injury in early February and now looks up to taking in the £13,000 Navan Commercials Chase.

Danoli hasn't actually won since the 1997 Hennessy but Foley said yesterday: "He's coming along nicely and Punchestown is what we have in mind, but he is fit enough to do himself justice. The two and a half miles will suit him better and Navan is a tough track, so we're hopeful."

It isn't likely to be tough enough, however, for the Grand National candidate, Hollybank Buck, who will be ridden today by his possible Aintree rider, Peter Niven.

"If I'm to ride him at Aintree, the connections want me to have a sit on him here. He's been over in Britain a few times and run well in the Becher Chase, so I thought he wouldn't be a bad National ride," Niven said yesterday of the 40 to 1 National hope who will be blinkered for the first time.

Ollimar, the mount of Danoli's former rider Tomy Treacy, and Jeffell are more likely dangers to Danoli in today's race, but the Foley-trained veteran has a perfectly reasonable chance of a very popular victory.

Conor O'Dwyer, whose appeal against the severity of an eight-day ban at Gowran last weekend will be heard on Wednesday, can consolidate his second position in the jockeys' championship, courtesy of Farinel in the opener; and the horse's trainer, Arthur Moore, can also be fancied in the bumper with Tony Martin's mount Alexander Fourball.