Ante-post favourites Best Mate and Bacchanal headed entries announced yesterday for the novice chases at the Cheltenham festival in March.

A total of 51 horses have been put in the Arkle Chase on the opening day of the meeting, a figure bettered only once in the last 11 years.

Betting on the two-mile event is dominated by the Henrietta Knight-trained Best Mate, quoted at just 2 to 1 by Coral, who is unbeaten in two novice chases and is due to run next at Sandown a week on Saturday.

Martin Pipe successful with Or Royal in 1997 and Champleve in 1998, has seven entries, including the former Frenchtrained Ilnamar and hurdlers Seebald and Valiramix who have both yet to run over fences.

But JP McManus's Youlneverwalkalone, quoted at 12 to 1 by Coral, is not in a race for which this country's main hopes appear to be Knife Edge and Sunday's Leopardstown winner Well Ridden.

Since winning at Kempton at Christmas Bacchanal has headed betting on the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, one of the few Cheltenham races to have eluded his three-time Arkle-winning trainer Nicky Henderson.

Last year's Stayers' Hurdle winner, 7 to 2 favourite with Coral, is among 61 entries for the 25-furlong event in which the Irish-trained team is headed by Sackville (6-1), who won at Cheltenham last November.

Barton was yesterday confirmed on course for the Byrne Bros Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday, and his stable are still favouring a crack at the Champion Hurdle over the Stayers' Hurdle at this year's Cheltenham festival.

Michael Kinane is due to start a stint as a club rider in Hong Kong at Sha Tin on Friday when he has rides booked in all 10 races on the card.