Connections of Faugheen are hopeful he can repeat the performance of his comeback run at Punchestown when he lines up in the Ryanair Hurdle on the final day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
The 2015 Champion Hurdle winner will bid to give trainer Willie Mullins a record-equalling sixth victory in the Grade One contest on his second start since returning from injury.
The nine-year-old, who will be joined in the race by stablemate Cilaos Emery, showed he still retains all of his old ability last month after making his first start for 665 days a winning one with a decisive success in the Morgiana Hurdle.
Patrick Mullins, the trainer's son and assistant, told Press Association Sport: "All is good with Faugheen and he came out of Punchestown very well.
"He was ready to go at Punchestown and, like we said before, we didn't give him a very long summer break.
"We just want to get him to Cheltenham in one piece and if he did what he did at Punchestown we would be very happy.
"He went well around Leopardstown before and he probably put up one of his best ever performances at the track when he won the Irish Champion Hurdle there.
"It looks a good opportunity for him and hopefully he will take another step down the road towards Cheltenham."
Although an outing in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, which Faugheen won in 2014 and 2015, had been mentioned as a possible target, it was considered that staying in Ireland would be more beneficial to the eight-time Grade One winner.
In the card's other Grade One contest, the Neville Hotels Novices' Chase, Henry de Bromhead is confident the step back up in trip will play into the hands of Monalee (above).
This six-year-old, who finished second in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on his penultimate start over hurdles, will revert back to three miles in the Grade One event after impressing over two and a half miles on his fencing debut at Punchestown.
De Bromhead said: "Monalee seems in good form. He is stepping back up in trip and we will see how he goes.
"He won over three miles at Clonmel and he was second over three miles in the Albert Bartlett, so he has good form over that trip. Going back over three will hopefully suit him.
"I thought his last run was nice. He jumped well and he seemed good. Davy Russell was happy with him.
"We had a couple of options, but this seemed the best one and we saw that he was pretty good last season. He is a lovely horse to do anything with."
Willie Mullins will be double-handed in his bid to win the race for a third time, after leaving in both Drinmore runner-up Rathvinden and last-time-out Punchestown scorer Bon Papa.
Gordon Elliott will be represented by Dinaria Des Obeaux, Mossback, Jury Duty and Shattered Love.
The field is completed by Moulin A Vent, from the yard of Noel Meade, and the Adrian Keatley-trained Thebarrowman.
In the first race on Friday, Shane Crimin steered Spider Web to a clear-cut victory in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.
The Tom Mullins-trained six-year-old had been largely disappointing of late, but was dangerously well handicapped on his hurdle form and was sent off a well-backed 13-2 joint-favourite for the opening contest on the fourth and final day of the Christmas Festival.
Carrying the colours of JP McManus, Spider Web made his move in the back straight and hit the front rounding the home turn.
With the final fence bypassed, several horses attempted to reel him in, but Crimin's mount found plenty for pressure and passed the post seven and a half lengths ahead of Bilko.
Dicey O'Reilly was a surprise winner of the Pigsback.com Maiden Hurdle.
Ballyward, not seen since winning a bumper at this meeting a year ago, was the 6-4 favourite to make a successful hurdling debut for Willie Mullins, while Jessica Harrington's Someday and the Joseph O'Brien-trained Mortal were also prominent in the market.
Having finished a well-beaten fourth on his hurdling bow at Cork, Henry de Bromhead's Dicey O'Reilly was a largely unconsidered 18-1 shot in the hands of 5lb claimer Dylan Robinson, but was always prominent and came home best in the straight to score by three and a half lengths.
Mortal filled the runner-up spot ahead of Someday and Ballyward in third and fourth respectively.
Let's Dance successfully defended her crown with a battling performance in the Willis Towers Watson Irish EBF Mares Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old secured this Grade Three prize 12 months ago before going on to to claim Cheltenham Festival glory in the Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle in March.
She left Ruby Walsh with a broken leg when falling on her return to action at Punchestown last month, but was the even-money favourite to bounce back in the hands of Paul Townend.
It was not easy viewing for her supporters, with Let's Dance initially appearing reluctant to jump off and she did not travel with much zest for the first half of the two-and-a-half-mile contest.
However, she moved into contention before the home turn and galloped all the way to the line in the straight to score by eight lengths.
The front-running Forge Meadow was a clear second and Dawn Shadow finished strongly to deny British challenger Lady Buttons third place.
Watch the Leopardstown Christmas Festival Day 4 live on RTÉ2 from 1pm
