Trainer Mags Mullins expects her Cheltenham Festival hero Martello Tower to raise his game for the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park on Thursday.
A determined winner of last season's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park, the eight-year-old was not disgraced on his first start since when third in Leopardstown's Christmas Hurdle last month.
Mullins feels her charge should strip fitter for that run and hopes he can earn himself a return trip to Cheltenham for a crack at World Hurdle glory in March.
"I was delighted with him at Leopardstown. It was a lovely run, as he would have needed it and I think he's come on since," the trainer told At The Races.
"He's improved from the last day, so hopefully he's improved enough. It's not a bad race and racing in open class is a bit different, so we'll know more after Thursday.
"He's won on soft and nice ground. If he holds his own, that will be good enough."
Martello Tower is opposed by four rivals and has ground to make up on Christmas Hurdle runner-up Alpha Des Obeaux, trained by Mouse Morris.
Morris said: "He's in good form. The only worry I would have for him would be the ground - he's a good ground horse really.
"We need to get some more experience into him as he hasn't had a lot of runs.
"If he runs a good, solid race I'll be happy."
Leading owner JP McManus fires a twin assault, with retained rider Barry Geraghty siding with the Rebecca Curtis-trained British challenger At Fishers Cross over Tony Martin's Noble Emperor.
At Fishers Cross makes his first appearance since finishing fourth in last season's World Hurdle and Curtis expects her charge to need the run.
She said: " He had some work done at Martinstown over the summer and didn't come back to us until October.
"I never expect too much from him first time out. He's just one of those horses that takes a run, mentally as much as anything.
"As we all know he's a fragile horse, so fingers crossed we can keep him sound."
The field is completed by Briar Hill, who is sent back to the track by Willie Mullins for the first time since falling in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan last February.
Big-race jockey Ruby Walsh admits it has been a struggle with the eight-year-old ever since he suffered a nasty injury when falling in the 2014 Albert Bartlett.
Walsh told Racing UK: "Unfortunately he broke a bone in his face when he fell at Cheltenham and had to have an operation to sort it out.
"It has been tough for him ever since. It was a stop-start year for him last year and then he fell again in Navan when I thought he was going to give Dedigout a race in the Boyne Hurdle, but he fell at the last.
"It has taken us 11 months to get him back on the track again. He seems to be well at home, he's working well, but there's no doubt he'll improve for the run.
"He's ready to have a run and hopefully he can come back to something like he was."