Top class horses are put through their paces at this weekend's Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.
Cheltenham Festival contenders are on show for fans, with just six weeks until the March showpiece.
The Irish meeting, created in 2018, comes at the perfect time for trainers assembling their best teams to travel to the UK.
At last year's Festival, Irish trainers raced to a record 23 wins from 28 races – and the haul included the feature Gold Cup.
Unbeaten Honeysuckle leads the Irish contingent this year at Prestbury Park, as her unbeaten record remains intact.
Appreciate It, not seen this season, is her chief rival if the pair go head-to-head on Irish soil this Sunday.
They are among six entries for the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle.
Honeysuckle is the strongest ante-post Cheltenham favourite from the raiding party at this stage, with stablemate Bob Olinger heading straight there after connections opted to miss Leopardstown.
Blue Lord, who took over at the head of the Arkle market when Ferny Hollow was sidelined by injury, also puts his credentials on the line.
Blue Lord vs stablemates
Irish Arkle Novice Chase (2.10), Saturday
Blue Lord, who has impressed with his jumping over fences in a tongue tie this season, leads the Willie Mullins pack. The trainer won this race 12 months ago with Energumene, unbeaten chaser Shishkin's biggest rival. Saint Sam, the 2021 Boodles Juvenile Hurdle runner-up, holds an entry, along with Haut En Couleurs. He debuted for his stable in the Triumph and as well as the Arkle, has the Turners Novices' Chase as a Cheltenham option. Riviere D'Etel, second to Ferny Hollow most recently, brings that form line to the table. The result of this race will be most informative for ante-post betting.
Kemboy v Minella Indo
Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.15), Saturday
Kemboy won last year's renewal with a bold performance from the front. Under Danny Mullins he crossed the line two lengths clear. Minella Indo was sent off favourite but could only finish fourth, before he returned to his favoured Cheltenham to win the Gold Cup. Both horses have not won again since however and trainer Paul Nicholls has spied the opportunity for Frodon. Bryony Frost's mount scored at Down Royal earlier in the season and he heads to Ireland instead of Cheltenham.
Chacun Pour Soi v Greaneteen
Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (1.50), Sunday
A Mullins horse has taken this each year it has been run, with Min first in 2018 and 2019. Chacun Pour Soi has two triumphs to his name in it since and aims for the hat-trick. A Plus Tard was the only horse to beat him over fences until the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, when he was sent off odds on for the Champion Chase. Favourite backers were disappointed he didn't come up the hill as well as they hoped and he also flopped on his travels this season. His Tingle Creek run, where he finished last of five runners, was a long was below his best. Back on home turf he faces the winner of that race, Greaneteen, no match for Shishkin at Kempton. Whichever horse is successful here, they have plenty to find with the Cheltenham principals.
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Appreciate It v Honeysuckle
Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle (3.00), Sunday
Honeysuckle chases the hat-trick to add to her 13 victories under rules. The impeccable record features nine Grade 1s as she bids to follow-up her ten length supremacy here in 2021. Back to the minimum trip, being equally effective over half-a-mile further, she has only a handful of rivals on her radar this time. The most intriguing of them is Appreciate It, not seen since his 24 length Supreme Novices' Hurdle domination. Mullins has indicated he will leave it late before committing his charge to the clash with one of the most exciting hurdlers in recent years.
Sir Gerhard v Mighty Potter
Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (3.35), Sunday
Klassical Dream (2019) and Appreciate It (2021) have used this as a stepping stone to the Cheltenham Festival opener in recent years, while Vautour took the same route in 2014. Champion Bumper hero Sir Gerhard, with a sole hurdles start to his name, is the potential class act this time around. He was neat over his obstacles on debut and success could put him on course for a meeting with Jonbon and Constitution Hill in March. If the Cheveley Park Stud-owned horse can see off Mighty Potter, already a Grade 1 winner at the track, the form will have a strong look to it.
