Energumene has something to prove when he returns to Cheltenham to defend his Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase crown on Wednesday.
The horse responsible for ensuring Willie Mullins has the full collection of championship events at the Festival looked set to become the dominant force in the two-mile chase division when following up his Champion Chase triumph in impressive style at the Punchestown Festival before then returning in rude health at Cork in December.
However, his momentum was checked on Trials day when Energumene could only finish third in the rearranged Clarence House Chase.
The master of Closutton identified a couple of reasons for the under-par performance in the aftermath of that contest and is hoping to see his charge correct the record in the day two feature.
"It was great to finally get a Champion Chase last year and I think in the Clarence House he just needed the run over those different style of fences," said Mullins.
"Even though he'd schooled over them at home, sometimes a horse just needs to get out on the track and see the thing and I'm sure that experience will stand to him when it comes to jumping off in the Champion Chase.
"There's no such thing as a slowly-run Champion Chase and I think that's going to suit us.
"The Clarence House was a very tactical race and I think a few jockeys might change tactics the next day.
"We learnt a lot I think and I'm happy and Paul (Townend) is happy he'll improve a lot from that day."
Energumene had to settle for third in the Clarence House with the Gary Moore-trained Editeur Du Gite making most before holding off the fast-finishing Edwardstone in a thrilling finish.
It was Alan King's Arkle hero who went into most notebooks on that occasion and the Barbury Castle handler is happy with where he has the favourite ahead of the main event.
"I would obviously have preferred to have won (on Trials day), but it wasn't to be and Gary's horse battled back well," said King.
"I'm very happy where I have the horse and we can't do any more our end.
"We're in very good shape for Wednesday, we just hope to get a nice, clean run now and see what happens."
Editeur Du Gite's victory was the second time this season he has caused an upset in a key Champion Chase trial, having also won the Desert Orchid Chase, and Moore sees no reason why the nine-year-old cannot play a leading role once again.
He said: "As long as he is as good as he was last time, that's what he needs to be really.
"I see no reason why he can't run like that again. I'm very happy with him, his preparation has gone well and it's all systems go."
Editeur Du Gite wears the colours carried to Champion Chase success by the stable's Sire De Grugy in 2014 and Moore admits the improvement his contender has shown this season has caught him by surprise.
"Hopefully he can do the same as Sire De Grugy," he continued.
"It would be nice and also a bit unbelievable - something I never thought he would be doing anyway. But it just shows you never know in this game!
"It's surprised me how much he has improved but time is an amazing thing in racing and he has improved a massive amount and probably needs to improve a bit more now as well."
The race will also be a big occasion for Niall Houlihan, who has struck up a fine relationship with Editeur Du Gite and will be riding in the Champion Chase for the first time.
"It's a massive day for him and there's a lot of responsibility on his head, but he's a pretty cool guy and I don't think it will be a problem to him," added Moore.
"Everyone knows how Editeur Du Gite races and will be well aware of it and I hope Niall is as well - I'm sure he will be. If the others want to go fast with him, then so be it."
Nube Negra won the Shloer Chase over course and distance in November, but was somewhat disappointing when second to Editeur Du Gite at Kempton in the Desert Orchid.
He has been freshened up by Dan Skelton ahead of another crack at the Champion Chase - attempting to go one better than his second to Put The Kettle On in 2021.
"Nube Negra goes very well fresh and is very good around the course," said Skelton.
"Any dry days or hours would be appreciated. The day he beat Altior at Kempton it was officially described as soft, but we do know the better the ground, the more suitable it is for him.
"He's very good at home and I couldn't have him any better to be honest."
Greaneteen was only a length and a half further back in fourth on that occasion and has since won the Tingle Creek twice.
He suffered a surprise defeat in the Game Spirit at Newbury, but trainer Paul Nicholls felt his charge really needed the outing that day.
Venetia Williams' Funambule Sivola won the Game Spirit and was also runner-up in this last year, while Captain Guinness completes the line-up attempting to provide Henry de Bromhead with a fourth Champion Chase trophy
Impaire Et Passe will lead a four-strong team for Willie Mullins into battle in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on Wednesday.
Ireland's perennial champion trainer has saddled five previous winners of the Festival's day two curtain-raiser, with the brilliant Faugheen (2014) and last year's victor Sir Gerhard among them.
In the lead-up to this year's renewal, the Closutton dogs have been barking the name of Impaire Et Passe, who was an 18-length winner at Naas on his Irish debut before dominating his rivals in the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
The latter event is more traditionally a trial for Cheltenham's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, with Vautour (2014) and Douvan (2015) both doing the double - but Mikael D'Haguenet won the Moscow Flyer and the Ballymore in 2009 and Impaire Et Passe is a hot favourite to follow suit.
Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, does not expect a step up in trip to be an issue, saying: "The training preparation has gone well and soft ground shouldn't be a problem. He is a nice individual.
"Obviously, he is trying a new trip, but he has won on soft and heavy ground on his two most recent starts, so we go in there really hopeful."
Impaire Et Passe is joined by a trio of stablemates in Gaelic Warrior, Champ Kiely and Ho My Lord.
Gaelic Warrior was beaten a head after being heavily backed for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at last year's Festival, but is three from three this term - most recently carrying top-weight to success in handicap company at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Champ Kiely won at a Grade One at Naas on his latest outing, while Ho My Lord faces a steep rise in class after winning a maiden hurdle at Navan.
Paul Nicholls has perhaps his best chance of the week with Hermes Allen, although has made no secret of the fact that he considers him a chaser in the making.
The six-year-old also puts his unbeaten record on the line, having won all three starts over hurdles, including the Grade One Challow Novices' Hurdle in soft ground at Newbury.
Nicholls said: "Almost everything that finished behind him at Newbury has won since, so it has turned out to be a very good race.
"He has got a huge amount of ability and I'm excited about going to Cheltenham, but I'm as excited about going chasing with him next year - he will be a lovely horse to go chasing with.
"He has worked nicely and is in good shape. Two and a half (miles) is ideal for him.
"It is a very good race, the Irish have some good horses in there, but he's got a great chance - he jumps, he'll be ridden forward and he is a lovely horse.
"He has probably got the best chance of ours, according to the betting, anyway. It is a very good-looking, competitive race. He's done very well and will hopefully go close to winning."
On a high after the victory of Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices', owner-trainer Barry Connell justifiably has high hopes for Good Land, who won a Grade One novice hurdle over two and three-quarter miles at Leopardstown last month.
He said: "He is like Marine Nationale, a late developer. This one is seven and only just started running this year.
"Unlike the other one, he won't mind soft ground. He won his bumper on heavy ground at Wexford and any ground would be fine for him.
"He is a strong traveller and has plenty of stamina. He jumps great and has all the attributes you need to be successful in a Grade One at Cheltenham. I think he has a genuine chance of winning."
Mullins is responsible for 10 of the 24 heading to post in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.
It is no surprise to see him well represented at the top of the market.
Patrick Mullins has chosen to ride Dublin Racing Festival runner-up Fact To File, which leaves Paul Townend free to take over aboard impressive Navan winner It's For Me.
"He has done nothing wrong and is unbeaten in a point to point and a bumper for the owners," said Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
"He has got to move forward from that and improve, but he is a very likable horse and in an open year, he has a sound chance.
"There's no doubt he has to improve from what he has done so far. That said, he is a likable horse with potential, but it is a big step up in class."
The fly in the Mullins ointment could well be the John Kiely-trained A Dream To Share, who was snapped up by JP McManus after downing Fact To File at Leopardstown, with both runners now sporting the famous green and gold silks at Cheltenham.
Kiely is one of the elder statesman of the training ranks and hopes the five-year-old can remain unbeaten and provide him with the Cheltenham Festival victory that is missing from his CV.
He said: "He's run very well so far. He's in good form and we are hoping for a good run.
"It would be nice if he could keep living up to his name - he has done so up to now."
Queens Gamble has Cheltenham form in her favour as she faces off against the might of Ireland.
Oliver Sherwood's talented mare has impressed twice at the track in her short career, beating Milton Harris' five-time scorer Mullenbeg by 10 lengths on debut before downing another subsequent victor when scooping Listed honours at Prestbury Park in the autumn.
Despite defeat in her prep race at Market Rasen, Sherwood believes Queens Gamble is more than capable of holding her own and has the six-year-old fighting fit for her return to the track she loves best.
He said: "It's difficult to assess the form on two ways - firstly taking on the Irish and then going up against the boys for the first time. But she's entitled to be there and she hasn't missed a beat.
"She's in great order and I've been really happy with her prep. She loves Cheltenham and the only thing I don't know is how she will handle this soft ground, but you're not going to know until you try.
"They set out to beat her at Market Rasen and we got the tactics wrong, so fair play to Paddy (Brennan) and Fergal (O'Brien, jockey and trainer of winner Dysart Enos). She lost nothing in defeat as far as I'm concerned and she goes there with a live each-way chance on Wednesday.
"Johnny Burke knows her inside out, so we keep our fingers crossed."
The Willie Mullins-trained Sir Gerhard bids to win the up in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham. on only his second start over fences and is one of five representing the Closutton handler.
Despite quickly establishing himself with 34 Cheltenham winners heading into the Festival, this is a race that Gordon Elliott has yet to win.
He would appear to have his best chance of breaking that duck in Gerri Colombe, who goes into the race unbeaten in seven starts, with three chase wins, including two at the top-level.
His latest, in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown, came over two and a half miles and Elliott feels the longer trip should suit.
He said: "I'm not worried about the ground. He's a good horse.
"He won his beginners' chase in Fairyhouse, Limerick was the obvious place to go after that and then I was trying to split him and Mighty Potter up, so I went to England with Gerri Colombe.
"In Sandown, when the other horse passed him (Balco Coastal), I loved the way he dropped his head and wanted to win.
"Sandown is a big jumping test and I think, over a longer trip, he can get into a beautiful rhythm.
"I don't know how good he is. If you work him with an ordinary horse, he'll work with them, and if you work him with a good horse, he'll work with them. I honestly don't know what is underneath the bonnet."
The Irish pair dominate the market, yet the British challenge is a strong one, with Patrick Neville's Dipper winner The Real Whacker sticking to novice company rather than the Gold Cup and Dan Skelton's mare Galia Des Liteaux bidding to back up her Grade Two Warwick success under ideal conditions, with ease in the ground and the benefit of a weight allowance.
"She will very much appreciate the ground and has been in very good form at home," said Skelton.
"Without the rain we wouldn't have been able to run her.
"She gets 7lb for being a mare and I think it puts her right in the mix."
Thunder Rock finished in the frame in both the Dipper and Scilly Isles, and trainer Olly Murphy feels he again holds place claims.
"He's a horse who's puzzled me a little bit, as I never thought he'd be going three miles, though it's definitely the right thing to do," said Murphy. "I think his jumping needs a staying trip but his body probably doesn't.
"He works like he's got plenty of gears, so we'll drop him in and ride him to run well. Hopefully he'll come home strong and we'll ride him to be placed. He's in very good form and hasn't done a lot wrong this year.
"The Real Whacker is about 9-2 for that race and we're 14-1, but I think we'd have beaten him if we'd have got into a better rhythm at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. Maybe we're a little bit overpriced as such."
Johnson White has been Philip Hobbs' right-hand man for nearly three decades and he will join the Somerset handler on the training licence for the first time when Thyme Hill lines up.
Follow a live blog every day of the Cheltenham Festival from 1pm on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app
