Irish 'banker' Allaho will not scare off Dan Skelton as he primes Shan Blue for the upset.
The Willie Mullins favourite was relentless in his 2021 Ryanair Chase romp – and bids to repeat it 12 months on.
Just 4-6 with Betfair, the chasing ace will be one of the shortest-priced runners of the entire week.
But Skelton, going for gold with Protektorat in the feature, believes Shan Blue should not be underestimated.
"I really like this horse and I think there is a lot of unfinished business," he said.
Shan Blue ran his Wetherby rivals ragged in the Charlie Hall and galloped 20 lengths clear.
Connections were left mulling over a likely comprehensive victory when he fell at the third last fence.
Given a break since, Skelton's team are leaving no stone unturned in his Cheltenham preparation.
The four-time winner has had a racecourse gallop at Warwick to put him in peak condition for the Grade 1.
"That horse can’t be better," Skelton added.
"The race at Wetherby told you he could be at least a stone better than that (his mark,148). The racecourse does the talking.”
Shan Blue is around 8-1 in the Ryanair market, but could be second favourite by declaration stage.
The horses inbetween him and Allaho – Energumene, A Plus Tard and Chacun Pour Soi – have other preferred Festival options.
"Obviously Allaho is in there and is a really good horse but we’ll take him on and give it a go,” added jockey Harry Skelton.
