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Chacun Pour Soi bids to prove he is still a force to be reckoned with in the two-mile division in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday.
The Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned gelding has won six times at the highest level, with four of those victories secured at Leopardstown – including in this race in 2020.
His most recent triumph came in the Dublin Chase over the course and distance in February – a race he has won three times – after which he unseated Patrick Mullins in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham before finding stablemate Energumene too strong at Punchestown in the spring.
Chacun Pour Soi will officially turn 11 in less than a week's time, but connections are hopeful he can show his younger rivals the way home on a track where he clearly excels.
Joe Chambers, racing manager for the owners, said: "He will run on Tuesday and I suspect it will be his best chance of picking up a Grade One this year.
"He loves Leopardstown and the ground seems to be OK, so we're looking forward to seeing him back out.
"He doesn't have many miles on the clock, but he is a bit more brittle than some of the younger legs he comes up against over two miles, so I expect we will go out in trip with him later in the year.
"He's in good form, but we'll see where we go for the rest of the season with him after Leopardstown."
Chacun Pour Soi is one of three runners for Willie Mullins in a field of seven, with the three years younger Blue Lord and four years younger Gentleman De Mee also in contention.
Blue Lord won Leopardstown's Irish Arkle last season and won the Clonmel Oil Chase on his reappearance, while Gentleman De Mee was last seen finishing fourth in the Tingle Creek at Sandown.
Stable jockey Paul Townend rides Chacun Pour Soi, and told Ladbrokes: "He's back to Leopardstown, he loves it round there.
"He is not getting any younger. I think he ran an absolute screamer at Punchestown behind Energumene last season and if he is anywhere right he will take all the beating.
"Blue Lord is interesting. He won well in Clonmel up in trip but is dropping back to two miles. This is Chacun's playground and whatever beats him will win."
Henry de Bromhead fields Fortria Chase victor Captain Guinness and Coeur Sublime, who may well have won the Poplar Square Chase on his seasonal debut but for falling at the final fence.
Andy Dufresne (Gordon Elliott) and Jeremys Flame (Gavin Cromwell) are the other hopefuls.
The other Grade One prize up for grabs on day two of the Christmas Festival in County Dublin is the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle, in which Facile Vega is the main attraction.
The star performer in the bumper sphere last season, the five-year-old bolted up on his hurdling bow at Fairyhouse and will be prohibitive odds under Townend to give Mullins a sixth win in the race.
Townend added: He was super in his maiden. He couldn't do any more than beat what was run against him and I would be very disappointed if he can't come up trumps again.
"I loved how professional he was in his maiden. We've been very happy with him since. He's exciting."
Il Etait Temps, Intranet and Ashroe Diamond further strengthen the champion trainer's hand, with Elliott's Itswhatunitesus and Path D'oroux both big outsiders.
