Connections of Beef Or Salmon will look to the skies before deciding whether their star seven-year-old will make his reappearance in this weekend's Hackett's Bookmakers Irish Cesarewitch.
One of last season's most exciting jumps prospects, the gelding was last seen when winning on the level at the Curragh in April, and he could return to the Kildare track in Sunday's two-mile event.
However, trainer Michael Hourigan explained that his charge is not a definite runner. "He won't run unless the weather changes," he said. "We wouldn't need it on the soft side, just on the easy side."
If the rain doesn't arrive in time for Sunday's contest, Hourigan says his charge could reappear in a race in which he finished third last year.
"He's a possibility for a race up the north, the Leopardstown November Premier Handicap," he said.
Following his November handicap defeat last season, he struck up a formidable partnership with jockey Timmy Murphy, winning five of his six subsequent starts. Success came his way at the top level with Grade One wins in the Ericsson Chase and the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.
But on his first crack at the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, the then novice fell at the third fence, allowing Best Mate to notch his second success in the blue riband.
A repeat tilt could be on the cards, but Beef Or Salmon's trainer realises anything could happen between now and the Cheltenham Festival, saying: "It's a long way away now."
Hourigan did confirm, though, that the nine-times winner had strengthened up nicely over the summer.