Best Mate heads the 32 entries revealed today for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 18th.
The Henrietta Knight-trained champion became only the sixth horse to successfully defend his title in chasing's blue riband event when following up on his 2002 success last year.
Best Mate is rated a 4-5 chance with the sponsors to record a third successive Cheltenham Gold Cup victory, a feat only achieved before by the legendary trio of Arkle (1964-66), Cottage Rake (1948-50) and Golden Miller, who won jump racing's top chase five times from 1932-36.
But there is a talented team of opponents also dreaming of landing the £350,000 contest, including Kingscliff, winner of last season's Christie's Foxhunter Chase at the Festival but a well-beaten second at Haydock on Saturday, and Sir Rembrandt, both hailing from the stable of Robert Alner, successful in the 1998 race with Cool Dawn.
Both Commanche Court and Truckers Tavern, runners-up to Best Mate in the last two Cheltenham Gold Cups, have been entered again, while the young pretenders include the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Keen Leader and Martin Pipe's star novice Therealbandit, who has twice won over fences at Cheltenham.
There is a nine-strong challenge from Ireland, headed by Beef Or Salmon, a third-fence faller in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Other Irish-trained entries include last year's third, Harbour Pilot, the veteran Florida Pearl and his stablemates Macs Gildoran and Rule Supreme.
Both entries from France boast excellent credentials. The Guillaume Macaire-trained Jair Du Cochet beat Best Mate in the Tote Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon in November before being pulled up when a warm favourite in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephens's Day.