Champion Chase winner Energumene is due to reappear on Sunday in the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork.
Having come off second best to Shishkin in a thrilling Clarence House Chase at Ascot, Energumene gained his revenge at Cheltenham when Nicky Henderson's charge was pulled up.
Trained by Willie Mullins, Energumene went on to win at Punchestown and will be a long odds-on favourite to start his season with a win.
Paul Townend will reroute to Cork for the ride following the abandonment of Punchestown.
The jockey was due to take the mount on Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at the latter meeting, but that meeting was cancelled. That frees Townend up to head to Cork, where he will replace Sean O'Keeffe.
Cork passed an early morning inspection to get the all clear for their Sunday card.
Race 5
— IHRB Raceday information (@IHRBRaceday) December 11, 2022
Energumene (Fr) now ridden by Paul Townend
(Stewards permission)
Race 6
Gringo D'ainay(Fr) - NR coughing
Gorgeous Suspect (Fr) now ridden by Mark Walsh (Stewards permission)
Benz now ridden by Jack Kennedy
(Stewards permission)
Speaking on Friday in his blog Townend said: "If Punchestown was called off, I would do my best to go down there for the ride.
"He won there last year and he is by far the highest-rated runner in the race.
"It is a nice place to start him and hopefully all roads lead to the Champion Chase again."
Challenging Energumene will be Paddy Corkery's Master McShee, a Grade One winner as a novice who has then second twice behind Galopin Des Champs in top class novice chases.
"He's going into open company now and you have a strong line-up again but when you look back on his form, that's where Master McShee deserves to be," said Corkery.
"He won a Grade One last season and was second in two Grade Ones.
"Willie Mullins says Galopin De Champs is a Gold Cup horse and the closest horse to him last year was Master McShee."
