Leopardstown: It's not often a champion trainer with over a million in prize money already secured this season might feel he is owed, but Noel Meade will still be hoping Wild Passion can provide some long-awaited payback in the St Stephen's Day feature at Leopardstown.
Even a 12-month gap might not be enough to ease the memory of last year's renewal of the €100,000 Durkan New Homes Novice Chase, when the Meade-trained Sir Oj looked to have the pot firmly in his grasp only to unseat Niall Madden at the last fence.
It means Dardjini, in 1997, remains his only winner of this prestigious event, and Wild Passion faces a massive task if he is going to become number two.
Just eight runners line up for the Grade One highlight, but they include the hugely impressive and unbeaten-over-fences Justified, who last time out put an impressive 14 lengths between himself and Wild Passion at Punchestown.
The Drinmore winner Kill Devil Hill reverts to close to the minimum trip, which might not be ideal, but he does so on the back of a form boost from Father Matt. Significantly, though, Father Matt is a stablemate of Wild Passion.
Then there is the Drinmore third Mansony, who should actively relish the drop back in trip. And the dark horse of the affair will be Missed That, who partially restored his reputation by scoring at Navan.
An impressive victory for any one of them will result in banker status for the Arkle at Cheltenham, and many fully expect Justified to be just that come Monday evening.
Certainly a bare reading of the form book gives him a great chance, but that reading is likely to be reflected in his SP, and there are reasons to hope for a reversal in form by a much more reasonably priced Wild Passion.
The ex-German flat star was described as "special" by his jockey, Paul Carberry, after a winning debut over Kill Devil Hill, and that last start can be ignored as Carberry reported that Wild Passion "gurgled" during the race.
"He has never done that before and he seems 100 per cent again," Meade reported yesterday. "He has scoped clean and the better ground will not be a disadvantage."
It's also curious to look at Justified's 12-race career and notice how he has never won going left-handed. That could mean nothing, but on top of a tight SP it might be something to keep in mind if Wild Passion is on his trail in the closing stages.
It will be a big week all round for the Meade yard, whose £1,043,176 prize money tally already this season is almost double that of their nearest rivals, as they have the Champion Hurdle favourite Harchibald to come here on Thursday.
The recent hot streak can continue in some of the other Leopardstown contests on Monday, however, and there will be particular interest in the opening maiden hurdle and the second jumps start of Back To Bid.
The first was a serious let down when Back To Bid jumped way too big and was beaten almost 75 lengths at Fairyhouse. However, his raw talent was better reflected in a bumper victory at Navan, after which the trainer described him as a "slow learner". One hopes Back To Bid has been paying attention in class since.
Steve Mahon first made his mark as a trainer when Calladine won the 1999 edition of the Grade Two Juvenile Hurdle, and he looks to have another strong hope this time in Ballygally Bay. This one just failed to The Last Stand on desperately heavy ground at Fairyhouse, where his task wasn't helped by some sloppy jumping.
Arthur Moore presents an interesting option in the second maiden hurdle with Well Mounted.
Coconut Beach was a beaten odds-on favourite at Downpatrick last time out, but even on the back of that it may be unwise to write off the JP McManus-owned horse in the handicap hurdle.
