Mullins set to unleash star two-milers Ferny Hollow and Gentleman De Mee

Grade 1 stars Ferny Hollow and Gentleman De Mee, two of the biggest dangers to Energumene and Shishkin in this season's two-mile chasing division, have been given the green light to make their seasonal reappearances in Ireland this weekend.

Willie Mullins' long wait to win a first Champion Chase was ended last season when Energumene readily capitalised on Shishkin's blowout, and the Cheltenham Festival's most successful trainer of all time is assembling a crack squad to retain the prize this term.

Assistant trainer and record-breaking amateur rider Patrick Mullins has confirmed that Ferny Hollow and Gentleman De Mee will be back in action in either the Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Poplar Square Steeplechase () at Naas on Saturday, or the Grade 2 Sean P Muldoon & Patrick F Gormley Fortria Chase () at Navan on Sunday.

Ferny Hollow, absent since last Christmas due to injury, is the 7-1 third favourite for this season's Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase with the race sponsor, while Gentleman De Mee shares fourth place in the market at 12-1 alongside last season's Arkle hero Edwardstone.

Ferny Hollow: 2-2 over fencesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Patrick Mullins said: "The plan will be to run either Ferny Hollow or Gentleman De Mee at Naas, with the other going to Navan.

"Ferny Hollow is 100 per cent and we're very happy with him. He's working and schooling well but we just need to get experience. He has a massive deficit in the experience ledger so these Grade 3 and Grade 2 races are very important to him in that respect."

Connections recently earmarked the Tingle Creek on December 3 as an early season aim for JP McManus's Maghull Novices' Chase winner Gentleman De Mee.

Mullins said: "Gentleman De Mee is good as well. We're hoping he's going to be a Champion Chase horse and in all those Grade 1 two-mile chases, so it would be great to start off with some good match practice before taking on the open company horses."

Also in the mix for the pair of 2m prizes is unlucky Irish Arkle runner-up Riviere D'etel, while Andy Dufresene and Captain Guinness are interesting entries for the Fortria.

Gentleman De Mee: got the better of Edwardstone in last season's Grade 1 Maghull Novices' ChaseCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Triumph Hurdle fourth Icare Allen could run in Saturday's Grade 3 Irish Racing Yearbook-backed Fishery Lane Hurdle (12.55) – a race used as the starting point for the ill-fated Espoir D'Allen on his way to Champion Hurdle glory in the 2018-19 season.

Mullins added: "It's always tough for juvenile hurdlers the following season so the conditions of this race always makes it a good starting point. Icare Allen might well take his chance."

Ireland's 16-time champion trainer nominated dual Grade 2 winner Flame Bearer as a dark horse to follow in a Racing Post stable tour published this week.

The promising recruit from the Pat Doyle yard is entered to make his debut over fences in either a beginners' chase over 2m4f at Naas () or 2m1f at Navan ().

“We're very happy with him," said Patrick Mullins. "He's working and jumping very well, as you'd expect coming from Pat. We'd be hoping he's going to make into a Grade 1 horse."

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