Ground conditions will dictate whether Gold Cup third Forgotten Rules will make a swift return to action in Sunday's At The Races Curragh Cup.
A winner on Champions Day at Ascot last October, Dermot Weld's five-year-old made a successful return to action in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan and headed to Royal Ascot as favourite for the two-and-a-half-mile showpiece on Thursday of last week.
After much deliberation, connections eventually gave him the green light to take his chance, despite fears about the drying ground, and he performed admirably to pick up minor honours.
Forgotten Rules was a surprise entry for this weekend's Group Three event, which comes just 10 days after his Ascot exertions, but connections are ready to let him take his chance provided conditions are deemed suitable.
Fiona Craig, breeding advisor to owners Moyglare Stud, said: "He ran a blinder at Ascot and I think the biggest thing the race told us is that as he's getting older, he's not as dependent on the ground.
"There was obviously a lot made of it right up until the race, but I watched the race from the parade ring and as they came by the first time I could see he was handling it well enough.
"Having said that, I don't think we'd want to run him on fast ground again so soon, but Dermot tells me he's bounced out of the race very well and at the end of the day, he is a five-year-old gelding and we might be as well be racing him as working him at home.
"If he was a three-year-old colt it wouldn't be the same, obviously.
"We'll see if the rain comes on Friday night and Saturday. It rather depends on the weather."
Whether he takes his chance in the Curragh Cup or not, Forgotten Rules looks set to be targeted at the Irish St Leger in September before defending his crown in the British Champions Long Distance Cup.
"He travelled very well at Ascot and just didn't get home. I think we know now he's really a two-miler, which opens up a lot of doors," said Craig.
"After this weekend I think he'll have a little break and then he'll be trained for the Irish Leger before going back to Ascot for Champions Day.
"He has plenty of pace and is still learning about racing. He's only run five times in his life."
Forgotten Rules is one of seven horses declared for this weekend's staying prize over a mile and three-quarters.
The second-highest horse on official ratings is the Andrew Oliver-trained Panama Hat, who won five times during a tremendous 2014 campaign and was only narrowly touched off by unlucky Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher in Leopardstown's Saval Beg Stakes three weeks ago.
Oliver said: "We'll have to see whether Forgotten Rules runs or not. I presume it depends on rain and Dermot will make his own decision over the weekend, but whatever turns up turns up.
"Our horse is in good form and quite versatile ground-wise. He wouldn't want very soft ground, but I'd doubt it's going to be that.
"Kingfisher was one of the more unlucky horses at Ascot last week and still ran very well to finish second in a Gold Cup, so that endorsed our form.
"However, I think we might have hit the front a bit soon at Leopardstown and then just got caught on the line and I think we'll ride a more normal race on Sunday.
"I'm happy with him at home, so we'll take our chance and see what we can do."
Aidan O'Brien is double-handed, with Bondi Beach and Order Of St George both declared.
Jim Bolger's Mandatario, the Tony Martin-trained Dark Crusader and Drifting Mist from Mick Halford's yard complete the field.
