Ground conditions might be less than ideal for him but punters at Punchestown tomorrow will get a first glimpse in almost three months of the champion chaser Newmill whose other big weekend task will be to cope with the rising new star of the two-mile game, Nickname.
Both triple Grade One winners have to concede weight to smart horses such as Watson Lake and Central House in the Byrne Group Tied Cottage Chase but with the possible exception of Accordion Etoile, the top two currently represent Ireland's best chances for next month's Queen Mother Champion Chase.
A recent hot streak has seen Nickname plunge to as low as 8 to 1 for the championship pot and while you could put a zero on to those odds if the ground comes up quick at Cheltenham, Martin Brassil's ex-French star should revel in this weekend's testing conditions.
Ruby Walsh was moved to comment that he had never ridden a horse that handled heavy ground better than Nickname after a fine victory at Fairyhouse a fortnight ago.
Newmill's recent profile could hardly be more different, with one run over hurdles this season resulting in a tailed off effort in the Morgiana last November.
Newmill's trainer, John Murphy, is unconcerned about the lack of racecourse activity, however, and reports Newmill in "great form" ahead of his festival prep'.
The champion ran away with the big two-mile chase over the course and distance here last April but on winter ground it should be a very different proposition and whatever about Cheltenham, tomorrow's clash of the big two looks like being Nickname's big opportunity.
De Valira currently disputes favouritism for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle and has his own festival warm up in the the Grade Two novice hurdle.
Michael O'Brien has given the horse the green light to run despite having been cast in his box last weekend. Even if that wasn't in the background, however, De Valira would still face a tough task having to concede 6lb to Perce Rock whose own 16 to 1 odds for the Supreme could tumble with a win.
Initial disapointment with his Tolworth defeat at Sandown last month should be tempered as the ground was desperate and Tommy Stack's horse still looked comparatively raw at the finish. He did travel beautifully in the early stages of that race, however, and if he has gone the right way since, he will be a very tough nut for De Valira to crack.
Michael Hourigan throws three at the marathon Grand National Trial and Niall "Slippers" Madden looks a singificant booking for The Parishioner who is only 1lb wrong at the bottom of the handicap.
He has only tried three miles once before but as a hurdler, The Parishioner always shaped as a stayer and the form of his last run when edged out by Chelsea Harbour at Naas has been boosted since.
Numbersixvalverde is already the proven Grand National article and he continues on his path back to Aintree in the three-mile Jim Ryan Handicap Hurdle.
There was a lot to like about his return at action at Leopardstown over Christmas but there was even more to notice about Dun Doire's pre-Christmas effort at Navan when runner up to the gambled on Pay To Production. The Cheltenham winner's hurdle mark has been raised for that but it is still paltry compared to his chase figure and Ruby Walsh is back on board.
Walsh and trainer Tony Martin could also score with Farmer Grant in the Alex O'Neill Plumbing Contractors Handicap Chase while Montana Bay's proven form over hurdles might give him the edge over Signatory in the maiden hurdle.
