Boston Bob makes his eagerly awaited debut over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Navan on Sunday.
The seven-year-old was hugely impressive on his first three starts over hurdles for champion trainer Willie Mullins last season but suffered his first reverse when beaten by the ill-fated Brindisi Breeze in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
With testing conditions this weekend not expected to be any problem, Boston Bob is sure to be a hot favourite faced with seven rivals on his chasing bow.
Mullins said: "It's his first run of the year and it's a good place to start. It's a track we know he likes (won twice there last season) and he'll like the ground as well.
"He won a point-to-point, so he has a bit of experience of jumping fences, and we're hoping for a good run."
Boston Bob's rivals include Knockgraffon King from Noel Meade's stable and the Henry de Bromhead-trained You Must Know Me.
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