Energumene leads a field of 12 contenders entered for the €100,000 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork next Sunday.
Trained by Willie Mullins, the 10-year-old Energumene is returning from a 593-day absence and will attempting to win the Grade 2 race he secured in 2021 and 2022. He has not been seen on the track since completing the Cheltenham-Punchestown Champion Chase double in March and April of 2023.
Mullins is responsible for six of the 12 entries on Sunday. Alongside Energumene, the champion trainer has Appreciate It, Blue Lord, Dinoblue, Ferny Hollow, and Hunters Yarn all in contention.
Joseph O’Brien has entered Banbridge, winner of Punchestown's Champion Chase last spring, and Solness, who finished ahead of Banbridge in the recent Bar One Racing Fortria Chase at Navan.
Gordon Elliott will be looking to continue his trend of claiming a major weekend prize with Fil Dor, who finished as the runner-up in last year’s Hilly Way Chase to El Fabiolo. Elliott’s other entry, Riviere D’etel, is also among the potential runners.
Henry de Bromhead’s Quilixios, who defeated Grade 1 winner Marine Nationale on his seasonal debut last month, has been entered but also holds an entry in Saturday's Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.
RTÉ will show live coverage from Cork on Sunday. The card also features the Grade 2 Coolmore NH Sires Order Of St George Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase and the Grade 3 Singletons Supervalu Stayers Novice Hurdle.
Racing begins at 12.03pm with the Bar One Racing 3YO Maiden Hurdle, followed by the Bar One Racing Maiden Hurdle.