Ballycasey© Photo Healy Racing
Ruby Walsh is anticipating a much better show from Ballycasey when the Willie Mullins-trained grey tackles the Betfair Ascot Chase.
The eight-year-old has top-class form but he was a bitter disappointment behind stablemate Twinlight in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Walsh will be in action at Ascot instead of partnering Champagne Fever in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park.
The jockey told Racing UK: "I think it's an open race. If Ma Filleule comes back to her Cheltenham form when she was second to Holywell she could be hard to beat, and Ptit Zig is a very decent novice.
"In fairness, if Ballycasey can come back to his form of this time last year when he beat Don Cossack in the Moriarty and Carlingford Lough, that's good form.
"He's in good form but I was bitterly disappointed at Christmas, he was beaten so early it couldn't be true. I could have pulled him up after the first, he was never going. You can forgive any horse one bad day.
"I probably made too much use of him in the RSA and got outstayed and then at Punchestown Carlingford Lough did me from the back of the last, which is not bad form."
Ptit Zig, u nbeaten over fences, is a late replacement in the Grade One for injured stablemate Al Ferof, and Paul Nicholls' six-year-old is favourite after rattling off four quick wins.
Sam Twiston-Davies has been in the saddle for his victories this term and was impressed by the turn of foot he showed to beat the useful Champagne West in the Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
"I'm looking forward to it. We'll learn a bit more about him as he's stepping up in grade and taking on some good opponents, but that's why we'll learn a lot and hopefully he can run a big race," the jockey told At The Races.
"From his first win at Exeter he has kept progressing, he's got better and better every time and when we beat Champagne West last time, I was very happy with him.
"He'd had a few quick races then, but he's been freshened up and hopefully he goes there in good order.
"Hopefully the ground will be decent as that is what he wants - at Cheltenham last time he didn't travel as well as he can. The trip is no problem and Paul has talked about him being hopefully a King George horse."
