The return to action of the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kicking King looks set to take place at Fairyhouse on Sunday where Tom Taaffe's star could feature in a mouth-watering clash with the star two-miler Nickname.

Both horses feature among an 11-strong entry for the Grade Two Normans Grove Chase, a race that Nickname won by 15 lengths a year ago during his prolific winning campaign.

Martin Brassil's ex-French star was beaten by Mansony on his return to action at Leopardstown over Christmas but looks like getting his preferred conditions this weekend with the going currently described as heavy at Fairyhouse.

A precautionary entry for Kicking King in a Listed Hurdle at Naas on Saturday has been taken out by Taaffe but the preferred option is still for the double-King George winner to have a first start in two years over fences.

"We're in that time of year when meetings get called off so I put him in the hurdle just in case there's a problem with Fairyhouse," Taaffe said.

"It's just a precaution though. The chase is the number one option."

Taaffe's concerns will have been eased by a ground report from Fairyhouse yesterday in which no problems are expected with racing despite up to 30mms of rain being forecast to fall by Sunday.

"I don't see there being any problems even though we're told to expect up to 30mms between now and Sunday," said the Fairyhouse manager Caroline Grey.

"We would have raced today no problem. We'll be heavy on Sunday, but okay."

Such conditions will be ideal for the mud-loving Nickname who beat Justifed by 15 lengths in the race last year.

Martin Brassil reported: "He is very well, couldn't be better. It looks like it should be an alright race. The ground is heavy and he enjoys that best of all."

Also in the Normans Grove is the star Willie Mullins-trained pair of Hedgehunter, winner of the 2005 Grand National, and the former SunAlliance winner Rule Supreme who holds a Gold Cup entry despite not having run for over two and a half years through injury.

John Murphy's former Champion Chase winner Newmill also holds and entry in the race but would not be suited by very testing conditions.

Cork's Sunday meeting could see the next appearance of a potential new star from the Michael Bowe team as Fair Ina, a winner at Punchestown on New Year's Eve, is a possible runner in a winner's bumper.

Fair Ina is a half sister to Solerina and Bowe said: "She is like an exaggerated version of Solerina in the way she behaves and the conditions she needs - I only hope she ends up having the exaggerated ability too!"

He added: "From what I've seen, she looks very, very promising.

"We might try and run in a winners bumper at Cork at the weekend."