Vanillier and Sixshooter take aim at quality Florida Pearl Chase

Sunday: 12.30 Punchestown
Liam & Valerie Brennan Florida Pearl Novice Chase (Grade 2) | 2m6½f | 5yo+ | RTE2/RTV

This Grade 2 is probably better known for the horses who have been beaten in it in recent years, rather than its roll of honour.

Grade 1 winners Don Cossack, Presenting Percy, Shattered Love, Latest Exhibition, Disko, Blow By Blow and Very Wood have all been beaten in it since 2013, while Irish Grand National runner-up Run Wild Fred was sighted down the field 12 months ago. Aintree third Any Second Now was second a year earlier.

There doesn't appear to be a stellar line-up for this year's race but it still promises to be an informative event.

Sixshooter, rated 145 over hurdles, couldn't have made a brighter start to his career over fences when winning what looked a high-quality 2m6½f beginners' chase at Galway three weeks ago.

Sixshooter (right): impressive on his chasing debut at Galway last monthCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

That Ballybrit event has been the perfect warm-up for winners of this Grade 2 prize in recent years. Pencilfulloflead and Battleoverdoyen both won the same race before obliging here, while Blow By Blow was just touched off in this a year earlier after opening his chasing account at Galway.

Albert Bartlett ace Vanillier is an intriguing runner given the level of ability we know he has, rated 5lb higher than Sixshooter over hurdles.

Despite unsurprisingly finding 2m3½f too sharp at Down Royal on his introduction to chasing when third, there were more positives than negatives to take from the performance.

He'll appreciate this longer trip but will surely be better over even further later in the season.

Fancy Foundations needs to continue improving and it remains to be seen whether this will be his best trip, while Dewcup finished second in a beginners' chase here on Saturday and could be unlikely to turn out quickly again.

Ballyshannon Rose is another with improvement to find and may prefer softer ground, but the five-time winner does have the makings of a better chaser than hurdler.

Cromwell to walk course before making Vanillier call

With a mainly dry forecast ahead of Sunday's card, Gavin Cromwell will walk the course before deciding on whether Vanillier lines up in the race won by Dorans Pride in 1996 and Limestone Lad in 2000.

Conditions were described as yielding, good to yielding in places on Saturday.

Reflecting on Vanillier's recent chasing bow at Down Royal, the leading trainer said: "It was clearly a distance well short of his best, but I thought he ran well enough and will have learned a bit from it. I think he'll be sharper as a result of the run."

He added: "This is obviously another step forward and over a bit further. I'll be walking the course on Sunday morning and if the ground is looking like being on the good side, there's a chance he might not run."

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Fancy Foundations
Fancy Foundations was in the process of running well at Tipperary when coming down. He's progressing well and this is a step up in class, so we'll see how he gets on.

Eddie O'Leary, racing manager to Gigginstown House Stud, owners of Sixshooter
Sixshooter was good at Galway and hopefully he can jump as well again this time. Hopefully, the ground is safe enough for him.

Paul Fahey, trainer of Ballyshannon Rose
I had planned on getting her out at this stage of the season and she won well at Thurles last time. The 7lb allowance from the geldings leaves her at a lovely weight and the extra two furlongs compared with last time will be a help. She schooled very well at the Curragh the other day and it seems as though she learned a lot from Thurles. I'm very happy with her and confident of a big run.

Read Sunday's previews:

1.10 Cheltenham: Can exciting Does He Know make it three in a row over fences?

1.45 Cheltenham: James Ewart bidding for first Cheltenham winner with fancied Empire De Maulde

2.05 Punchestown: Honeysuckle's biggest threat? Echoes In Rain out to show talent in the Morgiana

2.20 Cheltenham: Keith Melrose on why the Champion Chase heroine faces a stiff task in the Shloer

2.55 Cheltenham: How good were last season's juveniles? The Greatwood could give us the answer

3.30 Cheltenham: Will I Like To Move It star in the Supreme Trial? Here's what his form tells us

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