The highly-rated Black Hercules, already favourite for Cheltenham's Albert Bartlett Hurdle in March, is in line to get an early test over three miles at Cork on Sunday.
Willie Mullins’s former bumper star won his hurdling debut over two miles at the track last month, but is one of 10 horses left in this weekend’s grade three Kerry Group Stayers Novice Hurdle over a mile extra.
Black Hercules, who ran fourth to Silver Concorde in last season’s Cheltenham Bumper, is as low as 8-1 in some ante-post lists for the three-mile Albert Bartlett. His opposition on Sunday could include the impressive Punchestown winner Alpha Des Obeaux.
Cork's grade two feature on Sunday will be the Hilly Way Chase which is likely to see the last two winners of the race, Twinlight and Days Hotel, renew hostilities. Both horses clashed in last month's Fortria at Navan, where Twinlight emerged an impressive winner.
Cork’s other grade three event, the mares novice chase, may host the second Irish start of Vroum Vroum Mag, who won on her debut in this country at Wexford.
