Both Fact To File and I Am Maximus will take on stablemate Galopin Des Champs in Saturday's Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.
All three of those runners are trained by Willie Mullins, who also has Embassy Gardens, Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner in the mix.
JP McManus owns both Fact To File and I Am Maximus and enjoyed a successful day at Punchestown courtesy of the former when he took the scalp of Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan Memorial Chase.
The two met again the Savills Chase after Christmas and the form was reversed, with Galopin Des Champs cantering home seven and a half lengths ahead of runner-up Fact To File.
Willie Mullins says Galopin Des Champs' victory in the Savills Chase was one of the best performances he's ever seen at Leopardstown #RTEsport pic.twitter.com/Ig5RM7uicp
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) December 28, 2024
He ran keenly that day under Mark Walsh and could improve for settling, but connections are under no illusions as to the difficulty of defeating Galopin Des Champs in his bid for the Irish Gold Cup hat-trick.
"Fact To File is in great form, Willie is very happy with him and the plan is to run on Saturday," said Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus. "He could do with settling a little bit more and we'll be hoping he does whatever happens.
"Galopin Des Champs will be very hard to beat, we're very aware of that, but we're happy with our horse."
I Am Maximus is the reigning Grand National champion and is entered again for the big race in April, for which he is generally the favourite at this early stage in the process.
He made his seasonal debut in the Savills Chase but did not complete under Jody McGarvey, who pulled him up five fences from home after a jumping error.
The bay now looks to regain his form at Leopardstown, where a pleasing run will bring Aintree clearly into the picture once again.
"I Am Maximus is going to run as well, he's in good form too," said Berry.
"Things just didn't happen for him the other day and Jody pulled him up, but he's back looking very well.
"We're looking forward to getting him out and we hope he runs a nice race.
"It will all come down to how he runs on Saturday, if he doesn't run well on Saturday then I'm not sure, but if he goes well then we'll head for the National again, absolutely."
On the same Saturday card at Leopardstown the McManus silks will be carried by Majborough in the Goffs Irish Arkle, another horse to face a familiar presence as he takes on his stablemate Ile Atlantique.
Majborough took the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season and made a strong start to his chasing career this term, winning a Fairyhouse beginners' chase by six and a half lengths from another Mullins-trained horse in Tullyhill.
That run leaves him well placed to step up to Grade One level as he has taken those exertions well.
"We're really looking forward to getting him out again, he looks well," said Berry.
"He looked very impressive the last day and he seems very happy with himself since. We're excited to see him run again, that's for sure."
