Gilgamboa© Photo Healy Racing
Gilgamboa will try to prove class conquers all as he shoulders top weight in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown today.
The seven-year-old was one of the leading novice chasers around last term, ending the campaign on a high with victory in the Grade One Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in April.
The Enda Bolger-trained gelding made a promising reappearance when third to Djakadam in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase just three weeks ago.
Gilgamboa is reported to have benefited from that outing and is expected to put up a bold show with 5lb claimer Jack Kennedy taking the ride rather than Barry Geraghty as connections try to offset some of his heavy burden.
"He's a lot of weight, but he's come out of his race well from Punchestown," said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.
"Enda's very happy with him. It's very competitive. He has it all to do with 11st 10lb on his back, but hopefully he can run a good race.
"He looks as though he should have come on for the run, so fingers crossed he'll run well."
Bolger is looking forward to stepping Gilgamboa up to three miles.
"He'll like the ground and it's his first time over three miles, so I'm looking forward to that big time. Three miles will be right up his alley," said the Limerick trainer.
Geraghty rides Eddie Harty's Minella Foru one of eight runners for McManus.
Leading owners Alan and Ann Potts were set to be doubly represented but Grand Jesture will be on his own now, with Sizing Gold suffering a late setback.
"Unfortunately Sizing Gold went wrong, but Grand Jesture is no mug. He was second at the Cheltenham Festival last season," said Johnny Burke, the Potts' retained rider.
"He's a quirky character, but on a going day he's very good."
Burke's father Liam saddles two runners in Sumos Novios and My Murphy The talented but fragile Sumos Novios appears the stable's number one hope after impressing on his Punchestown comeback three weeks ago.
"He (Sumos Novios) seems in good order. He came out of his last race well, he normally doesn't, but he seems good at the moment," said the trainer.
"He had plenty of problems with his shins and joints, but this is the first time in a long time we've had a good, clean run with him. It's a very competitive race, but we're happy to let him take his chance and hopefully it keeps raining as we know he likes the ground soft.
"My Murphy isn't good enough for Graded races and is fairly high in the handicap, so he's not easy to place. But he ran well in Navan the other day and seems to have taken the race well. He got stopped in his run in this race last year and went on to run well in the Thyestes, so we'll probably go down the same route again.
"We're putting the blinkers on him and I think they'll help, so he has his chance." Ballychorus has won four races since May for trainer Mags Mullins and owner Barry Connell and was still in with a chance when crashing out at the final fence in the Troytown at Navan last month. She takes her chance in handicap company again instead of stepping up to Grade One level for Tuesday's Neville Hotels Novice Chase.
Mullins said: " She is a tough devil and came out of her fall in the Troytown well. It was a pity but it was a great run as well, and it was great to be bringing her home and she's OK."
Gordon Elliott has a strong hand with four runners, not including the first reserve Riverside City
He said: "Cause Of Causes has won some really good races like the Ladbroke and the four-mile chase at Cheltenham. He can make the odd mistake and just lacks a bit of scope.
"Jack (Kennedy) gave Riverside City a great ride to win the Troytown and he has his confidence now, if he gets in."
Elliott also runs Operating Captain Von Trappe and Ucello Conti
