Just three horses have been declared for Sunday's Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown.
The Grade Two is being billed as a clash between Sizing Europe and Big Zeb and that is how the race has shaped with Imperial Shabra their only opponent.
Sizing Europe has not run since his impressive victory in the Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown in December and Sunday's race will be his final outing before he returns to defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham.
"We'll be focusing on Cheltenham and this is a stepping stone towards that," trainer Henry De Bromhead said. "Obviously you want to try to win every race you contest.
"There's not much between our horse and Big Zeb - just 1lb difference in the ratings. They are two high-class horses and we're certainly lucky to have our fellow.
"He's in good form and we're hoping for a good run."
Big Zeb, meanwhile, won the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and trainer Colm Murphy is hopeful of another big run from his 11-year-old.
"Punchestown has been very very good to him. We're very happy with him, everything has gone well with him so fingers crossed he goes well," he told At The Races.
"Ideally he'd like better ground but that's the case for the others so hopefully he will go through it."
The only other horse in the race is the Oliver Brady-trained Imperial Shabra.