Stable companions Bellshill and Stone Hard will lock horns for a second time this season in the Lawlor's Hotel Novice Hurdle at Naas.
Formerly known as the Slaney Novice Hurdle, the two-and-a-half-mile contest will be run at Grade One level for just the second time.
Bellshill, winner of the Champion INH Flat Race at last season's Punchestown Festival, has made a flying start to his hurdling career with victories at Cork and in the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle.
Stone Hard, a smart bumper performer himself, won on his hurdling bow at Gowran but made several mistakes before eventually unseating Paul Townend at Navan three weeks ago.
The pair form a formidable twin assault for Willie Mullins, who is bidding to win this prize for a sixth time in the last 11 years.
While Bellshill currently heads the betting for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the champion trainer is not ruling out a return to two miles.
Mullins said: "Bellshill was very good the last day at Navan. His bumper form has worked out very well with Barters Hill unbeaten.
"I'm open-minded about his trip. I'd have no problem bringing him back, he has plenty of gears and I love the way he jumps.
"With the cruising speed he has, two miles wouldn't be a problem.
"Stone Hard also takes his chance. I think he's more a three-miler, so it will be interesting to see what he can do.
"The race will answer a few questions."
"He is a horse with ability, and he should continue to progress" - Barry Geraghty on Anibale Fly
Tony Martin saddles dual bumper and Navan maiden hurdle winner Anibale Fly for owner JP McManus.
He will be ridden by McManus' retained jockey Barry Geraghty, who acknowledges Bellshill as the one to beat but is not without hope.
He wrote on his At The Races blog: "I rode Bellshill in a schooling bumper a year ago and he impressed me.
"Since then he has gone from strength to strength. He finished second in the bumper at Aintree's Grand National meeting last season and he won the attheraces.com Champion INH Flat Race at the Punchestown Festival.
"Now this season, he has won his first two hurdle races impressively, and he is potentially one of the best novice hurdlers in the country.
"I like my horse, though. He won his maiden hurdle nicely in the end at Navan last time on his first attempt.
"I had to get through a bit of traffic on him, it wasn't easy for him, but he was brave and he did it well.
"He is going to have to step up a lot on that in order to get involved here, but he should be able to step up.
"He is a horse with ability, and he should continue to progress."
Martin said: "It's a big step up for him, but he has to get experience somewhere and we felt with a small field this might be the place to go.
"He's still a young horse, so we'll just tip away with him and see what happens.
"He's in good form, but we're probably all playing for place money behind the top horse of Willie's as usual."
Marakoush is an interesting contender for trainer Alan Fleming and owner Barry Connell.
An expensive recruit out of John Oxx's yard, Marakoush opened his account over hurdles in some style at Punchestown in November.
Fleming said: "All is well with him - he's in very good nick.
"It's a Grade One this year, so you'd expect it to be a very good race and it is.
"But I've been very happy with my horse since his last run and I think he deserves to take his chance."
The small but select field of five is completed by the Mags Mullins-trained Last Encounter.
