Beef Or Salmon and Kingscliff top a record entry of 64 horses in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Record entry for Gold Cup
Despite the absence of last year's impressive scorer Kicking King, the race has attracted a huge entry, headed by the recent Lexus Chase winner Beef Or Salmon and Betfair Chase victor Kingscliff.
Champion jumps trainer Martin Pipe, who has yet to win the Gold Cup, has a team of five entered for the Festival showpiece, with last year's Hennessy Gold Cup winner Celestial Gold a leading contender. Recent Cheltenham scorer Joaaci, Rowland Meyrick Chase winner Therealbandit, Iznogoud and Our Vic complete his quintet.
Paul Nicholls, who took the blue riband with See More Business in 1999, has four entries, including useful novice hurdler Neptune Collonges, who had a decent record over fences in his native France.
A number of leading novices have also been entered for the Grade One event, including Feltham Chase winner Darkness and Nicky Henderson's Crozan.
Iris's Gift, a former Stayers' Hurdle winner, could bid to pull off a remarkable double as he has been entered by trainer Jonjo O'Neill and owner Robert Lester.
Henrietta Knight has virtually ruled out a crack at the Gold Cup with King George VI Chase third Impek.
Although the 10-year-old is among the entries, Knight is leaning towards tackling the shorter Ryanair Chase.
Cheltenham Gold Cup betting: 9-2 Kingscliff, Beef Or Salmon, 6-1 Monkerhostin, 12-1 War Of Attrition, Celestial Gold, Take The Stand, 16-1 Joaaci, Ollie Magern, One Knight, 20-1 Hedgehunter, Cornish Rebel, Iris's Gift, 25-1 Darkness, L'Ami, Royal Auclair, Sir Rembrandt, 33-1 Fondmort, Lord Of Illusion, The Listener, 40-1 bar.
Odds supplied by Ladbrokes
Avalon set for hurdling debut
Former Aidan O'Brien inmate Avalon could make his hurdling debut for Jonjo O'Neill at Newbury tomorrow.
The four-year-old, who has only competed three times on the Flat, finished third in last season's Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes at York in August but was last seen trailing home a disappointing fourth at Newmarket in September.
New owner Patsy Byrne is happy with the Kingmambo gelding's progress under O'Neill and has entered him for the Berkshire Stand Bookshop Juvenile Novices' Hurdle at Newbury.
Acambo's build-up continues
Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Acambo continues his build-up to the Cheltenham Festival with an outing at Leicester today.
The five-year-old is the 6 to 1 favourite with William Hill for the Anglo Irish Bank-sponsored contest in March after some strong support late last week.
Acambo was a useful performer on the Flat in Germany before switching to the care of Martin Pipe and bids to make it three wins from as many starts over timber in the Nomad Novices' Hurdle.
