NOEL Fehily is in confident mood as Silviniaco Conti prepares to defend his crown in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.
The Paul Nicholls-trained eight-year-old wore down Cue Card in an attritional renewal 12 months ago and arguably returns to the venue in even better form.
Although he ran below expectations on his seasonal reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, Silviniaco Conti bounced back to win his second Betfair Chase at Haydock last month and Fehily believes his big-race mount is at the top of his game.
"It was a very good performance in the Betfair and if he reproduces something like that, hopefully he goes there with a big chance," the jockey said.
"I wasn't disappointed with his run at Wetherby at all, the ground was a lot quicker than everyone said it was - he felt great and jumped great, he turned in and the two-and-a-half-mile horses just came by him very quickly and he got a bit tired.
"There were plenty of positives to take out of the run and I wasn't disappointed. It was a bit sharp for him on that ground and he maybe just needed the run. He soon put that behind him and it was probably nearly his career-best performance at Haydock."
Silviniaco Conti heads a formidable three-pronged assault on the festive feature for Nicholls, who has won the King George a record eight times.
Al Ferof, the mount of Sam Twiston-Davies, finished a distant third in last year's renewal, but Nicholls believes his charge returns in much better health.
The flying grey certainly looked the part on his return to action in the Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot.
Nicholls said: "For whatever reason he seems to be much better in himself this year than he was last year, he had a few problems, ulcers.
"On his Ascot run you'd say he was a different horse as he hadn't been in that long, so he's bound to have improved. From my point of view, that was his best ever run over fences as the form has worked out.
"If it's not too soft he could be a different proposition this year."
It is nine years since an Irish runner last claimed glory in the race with Tom Taaffe's dual winner Kicking King, and Champagne Fever carries the hopes this time around.
A former winner of the Champion Bumper and the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, the seven-year-old came within a whisker of completing a Cheltenham Festival hat-trick when touched off in last season's Arkle Trophy.
He made a sparkling reappearance in the Clonmel Oil Chase over twoand-a-half miles and trainer Willie Mullins, who won the race with the popular Florida Pearl in 2001, is confident a step up to three miles will not be a problem for his bold-jumping and strong-travelling grey.
"Everything suggests he wants three miles plus. Last year we took a chance by going two-mile chasing as he'd won the Supreme Novices' and he won all bar a quarter of an inch at Cheltenham, but that's the reality," said Mullins.
"If we're lucky enough to win he could be favourite for the Gold Cup, if not we'll have to readjust and try to approach the Gold Cup from a different angle.
* See card P69
* LEADING LIGHTS: Silviniaco Conti (left) and Champagne Fever are both well fancied to take the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day