Willie Mullins expects Douvan to be given a "fair test" when he bids to make it two from two over fences in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Saturday.
A stunning winner of last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham before following up in dominant style at Punchestown, the five-year-old made a fine start to his career over the larger obstacles at Navan last month and is already a hot favourite for the Arkle Trophy back at Prestbury Park in March.
However, it is worth noting that Supreme and Arkle-winning stable companion Vautour suffered defeat in this Grade One event 12 months ago and Mullins admits Douvan faces a couple of formidable opponents in old foe Sizing John and Jessica Harrington's exciting front-runner Ttebbob.
"It looks a hot race. Jessie's horse has had two very good runs, Sizing John is a good horse - it will be a fair test," said Mullins.
"I was happy with Navan, whether he got things his own way or the rest couldn't go with him, it appeared little more than a schooling session apart from a blunder at the last. What I loved was the way that when he was wrong he got himself out of trouble, he knew what to do."
The Henry de Bromhead-trained Sizing John found Douvan too hot to handle on three occasions last season, but has made a flying start to his chasing career, winning on debut at Punchestown in October before following up in the Craddockstown Novice Chase at the same venue a month later.
Jockey Jonathan Burke said: "It's a very tidy race, but I wouldn't swap my horse. We all saw what Douvan did last season and we know we couldn't beat him over hurdles, but our horse hasn't put a foot wrong over fences so far.
"Douvan won his first race over fences in a common canter, whereas our lad has won his two and you'd like to think we might have an experience edge over him.
"I do think our horse has improved a lot for jumping a fence. Douvan might have improved as well, but we'll see. It will be interesting. It's a very tidy race as Ttebbob looks like he could be anything over fences and Velvet Maker was impressive in Naas as well."
Ttebbob's rider Robbie Power expects his big-race mount to be hard to pass. He told At The Races: " He's not the most straightforward horse at home to ride, but the lad who rides him every day is happy so everyone else is.
"He doesn't have to make the running, if something wants to go crazy and take it on they can, he doesn't have to but he just likes to bowl along and go a good gallop, he has a very high cruising speed.
"If something wants to go faster than me I'll let them have it. If something is they'll be going very quick.
"He's got plenty of options, he's shown plenty of speed over two miles, but he's won over three. At the moment there's no reason to go any further as he's been very impressive over two-one."
Velvet Maker steps up in grade for trainer Alan Fleming and owner Barry Connell after a comfortable all-the-way victory on his seasonal debut and chasing bow at Naas.
Fleming said: "We're very happy to let him take his chance - he's in great nick. The plan was to give him another run after Naas before coming here, but it didn't happen. Navan was called off three weeks ago and we felt two weeks would be a bit close, so we waited for this.
"It has always been the plan to bring him to Leopardstown, so we'll see how we get on. It's a very good race and fingers crossed the four of them stand up - it should be some race to watch. Ttebbob will go a proper gallop, I would have thought, which is what you expect in a race like this.
"I don't think the ground should hinder us too much."