Henry de Bromhead is looking forward to running Sizing Europe in the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown on Sunday.
The ten-year-old enjoyed a break following his impressive victory in the Tingle Creek Chase with his trainer happy to let him bypass a Christmas run in favour of a crack at the Tied Cottage Chase.
Sunday's Grade Two will see him renew rivalry with Big Zeb, the horse he beat to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and De Bromhead is under no illusions as to the size of the task facing his charge.
"Things have been good. He had a break for a few weeks after he returned from Sandown but has stepped up his work after Christmas and is in good form," the trainer told At The Races.
"It is now all systems go for Punchestown at the weekend.
"It is a race that all the top two-mile Irish chasers go for and it is a shame that is not a Grade 1.
"So Sizing Europe will have to give weight away to his rivals in the ground but other than that, it comes at the perfect time ahead of Cheltenham."
The Queen Mother is Sizing Europe's main target for the season but De Bromhead is hopeful he will land another big prize at the weekend.
"This is a stepping stone to Cheltenham but you do want to win every race. Both are high-class horses and there is little between Big Zeb and Sizing Europe so we are hoping for a good run," he told At The Races.