Given the widespread expectation that a vintage crop of novice talent will unveil a new Gold Cup era next season, opportunity beckons for the current senior standard-bearers in Punchestown's Day Two feature and the veteran On His Own could be a value bet to make the most of it.
Of course, reality often veers widely away from expectation: not many were forecasting a Cheltenham blue-riband frame of Coneygree, Djakadam and Road To Riches at this stage of last year.
Britain's outstanding novice doesn't travel for the Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup, but both Djakadam and Road To Riches lead the cream of Ireland's current staying brigade which also includes the top-rated Don Cossack as well as last year's winner Boston Bob.
Since Cheltenham form by definition is usually the benchmark, Djakadam's splendid Gold Cup effort, when a couple of lengths in front of Road To Riches, makes him a likely favourite to complete a three-in-a-row for Willie Mullins in the €200,000 event.
But Mullins has already expressed one of the complicating factors surrounding a prize that comes at the end of a long hard season.
“It was a very searching, testing pace [in the Gold Cup] and for a six-year-old, Djakadam did well to finish second,” Mullins said. “If that hasn’t taken too much out of him, I think he’ll run a big race.”
That's a pretty big "if", however, especially in a race with a habit of throwing up big-priced winners. Throw in an uncertain weather forecast containing rain that Road To Riches' trainer Noel Meade doesn't want, not to mention how the outstanding Aintree winner Don Cossack is being asked to go to the festival-well three times in just over six weeks, and it can look a rather murky big-race picture.
Ultimately it may emerge as clear as day and a finish dominated by Djakadam and Road To Riches, with Don Cossack and the cross-channel hope Ballynagour also involved, would certainly be reassuring in Grade 1 form terms.
Despite having come close, notably in the 2014 Gold Cup, On His Own has never won at the top-level, but at big odds he could be worth considering now.
Versatile
Jockey bookings suggest he is the number two among the Mullins trio, and for a horse with a distinct preference for going right-handed, he is on a suitable track here. He is also versatile in terms of ground.
What could be significant too is that the oldest runner in the race has a confidence-boosting Cork victory under his belt – a first win in over a year – and that boost could help put On His Own in a position to scoop a well-deserved first Grade 1.
On His Own's English owner Graham Wylie will also fancy his Grade 1 chances in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle as Shaneshill is rated to win at the festival for the second year running.
Last season’s Attheraces.com Champion Bumper hero was hugely impressive at Fairyhouse earlier in the month and tackles three miles for the first time here. More importantly perhaps he also renews hostilities with his old rival No More Heroes.
The pair met at Navan in December over two and a half when No More Heroes rallied to win well in the end. Gordon Elliott's runner was well fancied to land the Albert Bartlett at this trip in Cheltenham but had to settle for third after getting hampered going for an ambitious run up the rail.
It could be close between the pair again, but No More Heroes has proven form at the trip and could be better than the bare Cheltenham form suggests.
Willie Mullins throws five at the Champion Bumper as he pursues a fifth win in the race. Evidence from Cheltenham and Liverpool however suggests the cross-channel bumper horses are superior this season and the Cheltenham runner-up, Modus, sets a standard here.
Regally-bred
Supasundae was sixth at Cheltenham but nothing much went right for the regally-bred giant who overcame a slow start to race prominently for much of the race. With the de Bromhead team continuing in good form, he can supply jockey Jamie Codd, rider of Shaneshill in 2014, with back-to-back victories. Codd also rides the point winner Champers On Ice, bought for just shy of €300,000 last month, and his first run for trainer David Pipe can pay off in the finale.
