Trainer Philip Hobbs believes his decision to step up in trip with Garde La Victoire will be vindicated in today's JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.
A former winner of the Greatwood Hurdle at Prestbury Park, the seven-year-old has a perfect record of three from three over fences and has experience of the chase track in the Cotswolds having landed the Arkle Trophy Trial in November.
For a long time the Arkle itself looked like being his Festival target, but with the brilliant Douvan landing the odds in spectacular fashion in that two-mile contest on Tuesday, Hobbs believes he has made the right call to step up to two and a half miles for the first time.
"He is versatile regarding ground and trip. You could argue two and a half is going to be a positive, rather than a negative, particularly now the ground is going to be reasonable," said Hobbs.
"I think it makes more sense to run in that race. We've beaten Bristol De Mai twice before."
Since being beaten by Garde La Victoire at Uttoxeter in October, Bristol De Mai has won four times from five starts and grabbed Grade One glory in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown last month.
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "He's in great form and we're very hopeful. The ground won't be a problem. He might be better on better ground, actually. There are some good horses in the race, but I hope he's the best."
Willie Mullins is double-handed as he aims to claim this prize for the third time in six years.
Charged with following in the hoofprints of Sir Des Champs (2012) and last year's breathtaking winner Vautour are Outlander and Black Hercules.
The latter was ante-post favourite for the National Hunt Chase for a long time, but Mullins decided to bring him back in distance after he fell at the final fence at Navan last month.
"Getting the right race for each horse takes a lot of soul searching and there is no horse I have thought about more than Black Hercules," Mullins told At The Races.
"He was favourite for the National Hunt Chase for some time, but last time out he raced very keen and if he ran a similar race over four miles, he wouldn't last home.
"Outlander has quietly gone about his business this season, winning all three races in novice chases, stepping up each time.
"His second run was a victory in the Shannon Airport Novice Chase from Avant Tout, which is good form, and he followed that with success in the Grade One Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown."
Andrew Lynch's Zabana has been well fancied for this race for a while, but needs to raise his game after finishing a long way behind Outlander on his latest appearance.
Big-race jockey Davy Russell said: " I schooled Zabana over fences last week and he gave me a great feel. The drying ground will be right up his street.
"We know he needs to improve to be a player in such a competitive race, but he ran a cracker at the meeting last year (second in Coral Cup) and hopefully can go well again."
Nicky Henderson's L'Ami Serge is another stepping up in trip after suffering a short-priced defeat in the Kingmaker at Warwick on his latest appearance.
The Paul Nicholls-trained As De Mee, Evan Williams' King's Odyssey, Pat Fahy's Mount Gunnery and Three Musketeers from Dan Skelton's yard complete a 10-strong field.
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