Willie Mullins has confirmed Florida Pearl is set to have another crack at the King George VI Chase and insists "it's all to play for" against the hot Kempton favourite, First Gold.
The French star had Florida Pearl 10 lengths back in second when winning the Pertemps King George VI last year, but the Irish horse is back in the winning groove following his thrilling Durkan victory at the weekend.
"He seems grand since and it's 99 per cent certain that Kempton is the plan," said an upbeat Mullins yesterday.
"It's all to play for in the King George. We're going back to Kempton and I think I'll know a lot more this time. I'd never been in Kempton before and there are a few things I would do differently this time round," said the Co Carlow-based trainer.
Mullins is debating whether or not to give his Drinmore disappointment, Macs Gildoran, a spin in the novice chase at Navan on Saturday.
"We didn't find anything wrong with him after the last day and he worked all right this morning. I suppose it's 50-50 about Saturday. I'm going to sit down and think about my Christmas and New Year plan and if there's anything juicier for him we will see. But he has won at Navan before and I'm keen to go back," he said.
The weekend will see a number of established names return to centre stage. Nick Dundee has the Buttevant to Doneraile Chase at Cork on Sunday as a target, and it is also a possible aim for the former Gold Cup winner Imperial Call.
The 1996 blue riband winner hasn't run since incurring a leg injury in October of 1999 and is now in the care of Limerick-based Austin Leahy.
The former Grand Annual winner, Space Trucker, could join Knife Edge in the field for the Hilly Way Chase at the Mallow track, while Limestone Lad leads the entries for Navan on Saturday.
The popular star is being aimed at the Navan Racecourse and Golfcourse Hurdle, while other top horses who have Navan hurdle race entries are the former Grand National hero, Papillon, and the Mouse Morris-trained His Song.
One Irish star who will miss the home action in favour of a tilt at the £100,000 Tripleprint Gold Cup is likely to be the Kerry National winner, More Than A Stroll.
A 10lb rise in the weights sees the Arthur Moore-trained runner currently on the 10-3 mark for the Cheltenham weekend highlight.
"It's a lovely weight and if he gets in with that we'll be very happy," Moore said. "There wouldn't be much of a difference between three miles around Listowel and two miles and five furlongs around Cheltenham. "
