Luska Lad bids to stretch his winning run to four when he takes on 11 opponents in the Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown .

The six-year-old, trained by John "Shark" Hanlon, goes for his first Grade One victory after beating Blackstairmountain at Fairyhouse earlier this month.

The form was given a boost when the runner-up struck at Punchestown on Tuesday.

Hanlon is happy to run Luska Lad in conditions he considers to be safe. "We're looking forward to it big time. He's in great form, the ground is safe and that's the main thing," said the County Carlow trainer.

"I think he'll improve on good ground as well. Blackstairmountain won the other day to boost the form. Our horse is very tough as he showed that day when he beat him."

Blackstairmountain's trainer Willie Mullins won this race last year with Mikael D'Haguenet and the County Carlow handler relies on Fionnegas He unseated his rider in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last time.

There is a strong British presence in the shape of the Philip Hobbs-trained Duke Of Lucca Nicky Henderson's Quantitativeeasing and Nick Williams' Cheltenham runner-up Reve de Sivola

The Dessie Hughes-trained Stonemaster and Oliver McKiernan's Whodoyouthink are among the Irish contingent.

Mullins is confident Fionnegas can bounce back from his Cheltenham mishap and make his presence felt.

"He's dropping back from three miles to two and a half but that won't be a problem to him," said the champion trainer.

"He was going to run a big race in Cheltenham when he was brought down and his form from earlier in the season is well up to seeing him run a big race.

"He must be one of my best chances on Friday."

Williams admits Reve de Sivola is going into unchartered territory after his fine effort at Cheltenham.

"It's a different type of track to Cheltenham. It's right-handed, he's never been that way round before, and it's undulating, so we're going into the unknown," said the Devon trainer.

"I've been happy with him at home since Cheltenham."