Sire De Grugy, who bounced back to form in such emphatic fashion at Chepstow, can retain his crown in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.20) at Cheltenham today.
He missed the start of this season through a pelvic injury and still looked to have a problem when making a belated reappearance at Newbury in February.
His jumping lacked its usual fluency there and he was coming under pressure, looking in trouble, when unseating his rider three out.
There was a transformation just a fortnight later, however, as he jumped with all his old verve at Chepstow and cruised seven lengths clear of the useful Grey Gold, who was carrying 20lb less.
Gary Moore, his trainer, revealed afterwards that Sire De Grugy had been suffering from problems with corns and that the fitting of some new plastic shoes had made him more comfortable.
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Now that he is able to gallop and jump without discomfort, Sire De Grugy can produce his best and, given the style of his victory 12 months ago, that should be good enough.
Sprinter Sacre, who looked so brilliant when winning two years ago, is also on the comeback trail. Off for over a year after suffering a heart problem when pulled up at Kempton, he was disappointing when brushed aside by Dodging Bullets at Ascot in January.
It was a respectable effort after a break, but having been so dominant before it was disconcerting to see him find little off the bridle against a rival who would not have got close to him in his prime.
Nicky Henderson, his trainer, has been making bullish noises in the past week or two, saying that Sprinter Sacre has made plenty of improvement since that outing. He will need to have done, though, and the chances are that he will never again hit the giddy heights that he reached two years ago.
Dodging Bullets has made good progress this season, with the fitting of a tongue tie seeming to help his cause on his past two starts, both in grade one company.
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However, it is not hard to pick holes in the form of those races and he has yet to finish better than fourth in three previous visits to the Festival.
Champagne Fever, on the other hand, has a terrific Festival record. Winner of the Champion Bumper and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, he failed by just a head to make it three wins here in the Arkle Trophy last year.
He failed to stay when stepped up to three miles in the King George at Kempton, but comes here fresh from a confidence-boosting win at Gowran Park and he looks sure to be involved in the finish.
The RSA Chase (2.05) can go to Southfield Theatre. He was beaten a nose when carrying 11st 11lb in last year’s Pertemps Final over hurdles here and has taken really well to fences, his one defeat in five starts coming on unsuitably soft ground at Newbury in November.
He was given a break after that, but had an ideal prep run for this when readily beating Melodic Rendezvous at Exeter last month, despite the two-and-half mile trip being on the sharp side for him.
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That should have put him spot-on for this test and, with conditions in his favour, he makes plenty of appeal at the 13-2 offered by Coral.
Windsor Park is likely to appreciate the drying conditions and can land the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (1.30).
He found the trip too short when a staying-on second to Nichols Canyon in grade one company at Leopardstown last time, having previously been unsuited by much softer ground when fourth to Outlander.
Windsor Park remains open to plenty of improvement after just three starts over hurdles and can reverse form with his Irish rivals.
The Coral Cup (2.40) is wide open, but perhaps Lac Fontana can return to his best. He beat Arctic Fire - who finished second in yesterday’s Champion Hurdle - when landing the two-mile County Hurdle a year ago, overcoming trouble in running, too.
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Lac Fontana showed his class when following that with a grade one success over a half-mile father at Aintree and has had excuses on both starts this season. With capable conditional rider Sean Bowen taking off a handy 5lb, he can strike for a second time at the Festival.
The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.40) is also mightily competitive, but Souriyan rates excellent value at the 25-1 offered by Ladbrokes.
The form of his easy defeat of Sebastian Beach at Exeter reads well and he possibly hit the front too soon when collared late in desperate conditions at Ffos Las. Useful on the Flat in France, he looks to have beeen let in lightly on his handicap debut.
Duke Of Lucca can step up on last year’s fourth in the Glenfarclas Handicap Chase (4.00), while Modus appeals in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.150). The latter was a luckless eighth a year ago and has saved for this race since running at Aintree in April.