Swamp Fox takes a step up the ladder as he tackles the Grade Three Text Your Bet To Paddy Power On 51465 Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas on Saturday.
The four-year-old was in fine form over the summer, notching a hat-trick that included valuable wins in the amateur riders’ handicap at Galway and the Lartigue Hurdle at Listowel, but he faces a further jump in class this time.
One of four declared for the two-mile event, Swamp Fox will face Willie Mullins’s Koshari, the Joesph O’Brien-trained Slowmotion and Missy Tata, who represents Gordon Elliott.
Swamp Fox's trainer Joe Murphy is under no illusions about the task facing his charge, but is happy to try his luck against some of the biggest names in Irish racing.
He said: “There are two fillies in the race (Slowmotion and Missy Tata) but of the last six years, four of the races have been contested by odds-on shots and I’d have to be fearful of Koshari.
“It’s a nice race and there’s not much between them all on ratings and I think whatever way the race works out, the handicapper can’t do much with him.
“Swamp Fox has now done his job but is still only a four-year-old and the race will tell us where we go with him.
‘Plenty of options’
“I think he is better with an ease and he could have plenty of options later in the season but we’ll learn more on Saturday.”
Koshari runs in the Rich Ricci colours and the French import made quite an impression when winning on his Irish bow at the Punchestown Festival back in April.
Ricci said: “I have a lot of time for him. I thought he won quite snugly, but looked a big, weak thing.
“I have high hopes for him and he could be a terrific chaser down the road.”
Missy Tata will be seeking a fourth win on the bounce, while Slowmotion was last seen when finishing fifth at Grade One level in the spring.
Grand National fourth Gilgamboa returns to action over two miles in Sunday’s Fortria Chase at Navan. Enda Bolger’s eight-year-old performed creditably at the highest level last season and carried a big weight at Aintree behind Rule The World.
Gordon Elliott fields Cheltenham Festival winner Cause Of Causes, The Game Changer, and Tell Us More, who beat The Game Changer in a Grade Three last week.
Willie Mullins runs Ballycasey, easy winner of the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran when last seen.
