It's 12 months since War Of Attrition got the better of the then Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Kicking King at Punchestown but a similar upset doesn't seem likely in today's feature race with the new title-holder apparently set to get the new campaign off to a winning start.
With hindsight, last year's Star Chase was a rather momentous event with Ireland's two most recent Gold Cup winners clashing for the first and so far only time over fences in the Listed race.
What will happen later in the season when Kicking King returns from injury is one of the most intriguing questions that will keep jumping fans warm during the winter but for now War Of Attrition is entitled to something of a lap of honour.
Such presumption isn't normally rewarded over fences but the Michael O'Leary-owned star looked anything but normal when graduating to the highest class with a hugely impressive success in last year's blue riband at Cheltenham.
A return home for a facile win in the Punchestown equivalent only emphasised the point and there are many willing to bet that at seven years of age, the best of War Of Attrition is still to come.
Trainer Mouse Morris has been around for far too long to be sucked into such speculation but he did concede yesterday that his stable star has strengthened up again for his summer break.
"He's a long way from being fully wound up for this but I think he has done enough to run a big race," Morris said.
On ratings, War Of Attrition has over a stone in hand of his nearest rival, Watson Lake, who was almost 10 lengths behind the Gold Cup holder here in the spring, and the Irish National hero Point Barrow has been handed a very stiff task on the figures.
Conor O'Dwyer will again team up with War Of Attrition and the veteran jockey could have a very good day with Female a very interesting newcomer to hurdles in the opener. Christy Roche's mare was seventh in the Cheltenham bumper and looked slightly unlucky when headed close home by Shuil Aris here in April.
Meanwhile, Iktitaf made a winning start back over hurdles in the Ryan's Cleaning Services Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday. Noel Meade's VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle winner was last seen winning the Irish Cesarewitch on the level and put up another professional display to win this Listed heat with plenty in hand.
Sent off the 2 to 9 favourite, Paul Carberry's mount travelled fluently from the outset as Davenport Democrat cut out most of the running.
Carberry tracked the pacemaker's every move before nudging him into the lead after the penultimate hurdle.
The outcome of the four-runner contest was never in doubt from then on as Iktitaf skipped clear of his rivals to win with eight lengths in hand from Davenport Democrat.
