Energumene bids to cement his status as the king of the two-mile division over fences by securing back-to-back victories in the William Hill Champion Chase on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.
The nine-year-old provided Willie Mullins with a first victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last season before putting the seal on his campaign with a facile success in County Kildare.
He suffered a blip earlier this term when only third in the rescheduled Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham in January, but raised his game significantly with a dominant defence of his Champion Chase crown last month and is short odds to repeat the feat on Tuesday.
Mullins said: "I was particularly pleased how Energumene did it in Cheltenham. He'd been working like that at home.
"We were all a little disappointed when he disappointed in the rescheduled Clarence House Chase, but I think we learned so much that day which meant he was a very good winner of the Champion Chase.
"The white fences might have upset him in the Clarence House and we sharpened up tactics. I think he's a fair sort to do what he did two years running and in the manner he did it in Cheltenham.
"Those (soft) conditions are very helpful to him as well. He probably won't get those in Punchestown – but if he does get wet weather, he's going to be very difficult to beat with a clear round."
Energumene's rivals include a trio of stablemates in Chacun Pour Soi, Blue Lord and Gentleman De Mee.
Chacun Pour Soi won this race in 2021, but is past his best judged on recent results, while Blue Lord needs to bounce back from a below-par performance in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
Gentleman De Mee, on the other hand, missed the Festival in the Cotswolds and therefore lines up fresh from winning the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown in early February.
"We have Gentleman De Mee in the race and he won't be hanging around at the start. That's his nature and Energumene can follow away. Paul (Townend) has the confidence to do both," Mullins added.
Henry de Bromhead's mare Magic Daze and the Patrick Foley-trained Rebel Gold complete the field.
The latter will be a big outsider, despite winning a valuable handicap chase at Fairyhouse and a Grade Three at Naas this season, and Foley has no great expectations.
He said: "The original plan was to go to Fairyhouse for the Grade Two, but we just got a bit of a setback. After he won in Naas, Denis (O'Regan, jockey) said it'd be no harm to give him an entry in some of the good races as they can cut up a little bit, so maybe it's all for luck.
"The most realistic goal is probably to finish fourth, but even if he finishes sixth of the six, you're picking up prize money and on ratings, we are the lowest rated horse in it.
"If he'd had a proper clear run, I'd be going there hoping to beat one or two of them but we're not going to be in any way disappointed wherever he finishes.
"If he puts in a decent run we'll all be very, very happy."
