The much-vaunted Melon makes his seasonal reappearance in the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal on Friday.
The Closutton dogs were barking the five-year-old's name long before he made his Irish debut at Leopardstown in January and after justifying cramped odds in impressive style, he was joint-favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
While the Willie Mullins-trained chestnut came up short, he ran with plenty of credit to fill the runner-up spot behind Labaik before finding only stablemate Cilaos Emery too strong in the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown the following month.
Melon faces just five rivals on his return to action, but the trainer's son and assistant, Patrick, feels his 152-rated and race-fit stable companion Coquin Mans will give him a thorough examination.
Mullins said: "Melon seems in good form and a second-season novice race like this is a nice starting point for him.
"It will be a fair examination for him as Coquin Mans has a high rating and is as fit as a flea.
"Melon has only had the three runs over hurdles, so he's entitled to improve, but I'm sure he'll improve for the run, too.
"He's running pretty early in the season for one of ours and we'll know a lot more about him after the race."
Of Coquin Mans, he added: "He's a very talented horse and has only beaten once, and that was by a Champion Hurdle winner in Jezki.
"He won't be a pushover and I think it will be a race."
Gordon Elliott's Mick Jazz and the Karl Thornton-trained Wakea look the two most likely to upset the Mullins party.
Jessica Harrington's mare Forge Meadow and Willie Codd's outsider Tellthemnuttin complete the Grade Two field.