Hilly Way Chase Day at Cork sees Energumene makes seasonal debut 

The Hilly Way Chase is the highlight of the weekend's racing with Energumene on target to make his long-awaited return at Cork Racecourse on Sunday. 

The dual-Champion Chase winner has been on the sidelines for 20 months and is one of the entries remaining in the €100,000 Grade Two Bar One Hilly Way Chase at the Mallow track. 

Champion Trainer Willie Mullins has half the entries left in the Hilly Way, including the injury-prone Ferny Hollow and Blue Lord, who was forced to miss the John Durkan due to a temperature. 

Other notable entries include Banbridge, Appreciate It, and the Gordon Elliot-trained Fil Dor. 

This is always a smashing card and gives National Hunt fans a great opportunity to see the best jockeys in the country including Paul Townend and Doneraile’s Darragh O’Keeffe, who is leading the Jockey's Championship right now. 

With Rachael Blackmore out injured with a neck injury, O’Keeffe is really making the most of his opportunities with the inform Henry De Bromhead team. 

Expect a bumper crowd at the North Cork venue on Sunday.

Energumene won the Hilly Way back-to-back in 2021 and 2022 prior to landing the two-mile Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham in both seasons. 

A potential festival hat-trick was ruled out due to a leg injury and the Tony Bloom-owned horse missed all last season. 

Both his stable companions Gaelic Warrior and El Fabiolo are above him in ante-post betting for Cheltenham in March, but a return to winning ways this weekend could see his current general 8-1 odds cut for the Champion Chase while Mullins has mentioned a step up in trip for El Fabiola.

Sunday’s card also includes the Grade Three Singletons Stayers’ Novice Hurdle, one of a couple of weekend options for The Yellow Clay who looks a real exciting horse for the Gordon Elliot team. 

He was very impressive when landing the Monksfield at Navan last month and also won well at Down Royal at their big showpiece meeting recently. The Yellow Clay was a horse on many people’s shortlist last season and finished a respectable sixth at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Tingle Creek is a race not to be missed every season and Jonbon is the star attraction over the famed two-mile track at Sandown Park. 

Nicky Henderson's star has his critics but will be an odds-on favourite to take this race. 

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There is a strong Irish challenger with the 2021 Triumph Hurdle winner Quillixios trained by Henry De Bromhead heading over. 

He missed the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign through injury and results were mixed after his return last season, with wins at Limerick and Naas followed by disappointing efforts in the Arkle at Cheltenham and a Grade One at Aintree. 

However, he showed his true colours when beating Marine Nationale in the Grade Three Barberstown Castle Chase in early November.

De Bromhead said: “He seems in great form and we’re looking forward to going over. 

"He’s got good form on everything. I was probably a little bit concerned about the better ground at Naas the other day, but he seemed to handle that really well, and he won a good race at Naas back in January on very testing ground, so I think he’s pretty adaptable.” 

Quilixios is the 11-2 second-favourite for the Tingle Creek with Betfair, who make Nicky Henderson’s defending champion Jonbon their 1-2 market leader.

“Jonbon is obviously very good and he’s going to be very hard to beat, but at least we’ll know where we stand for the rest of the season. 

"I have a fondness for any of these Grade Ones, but the Tingle Creek is a famous race and we’d love to win it again.” 

Finally, the Champion Hurdle is shaping up to be an absolute classic with Lossiemouth and Sir Gino putting in top-class performances last weekend. 

Cork man Joe Donnelly already has the defending Champion Hurdler Stateman in his ownership but his top juvenile from last season Sir Gino claimed the Fighting Fifth in some style at Newcastle. 

Lossiemouth has now been installed favourite for the race after a hugely impressive victory over Teahupoo in the Hattons Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday. 

Willie Mullins' brilliant mare has always looked high class and this performance moved her top of the betting and the 2/1 favourite for the big one in March. 

Constitution Hill still remains on the sidelines through injury and must be a major doubt to make the festival at this stage.