El Fabiolo team confident Champion Chase hotpot has even more to offer

The two-mile chase division promises to come alight this weekend with connections of El Fabiolo confident there is plenty more to come from last season's outstanding novice before his return at Cork on Sunday, a day after his old rival Jonbon bids to put down his own marker in the Betfair Tingle Creek.

El Fabiolo, who beat Jonbon by five and a half lengths in last season's Arkle, has not run since extending his unbeaten chase record to four at the Punchestown festival in April, a run of victories which earned him a Racing Post Rating of 173.

That puts him 2lb clear of the mark Energumene achieved after his novice campaign and the potential season-ending injury to last season's Champion Chase winner has resulted in El Fabiolo heading the market for Cheltenham's two-mile championship in March at a best-priced 11-10.