There are no shortage of potential opponents willing to take on Rooster Booster as he bids to win the Smurfit Champion Hurdle for a second successive year at Cheltenham in March.
A total of 48 entries, the highest number since 1997, were revealed today for the two-mile showpiece.
Indeed the five horses who finished immediately behind Rooster Booster in 2003 - Westender (2nd), Rhinestone Cowboy (3rd), Self Defense (4th), Intersky Falcon (5th) and In Contrast (6th) - are all entered again.
Rhinestone Cowboy and Intersky Falcon are among six entries from trainer Jonjo O'Neill, who as expected has not put the novice Lingo in the race but is represented by top Australian performer Specular, Hasty Prince, Quazar and a dark horse in Sir Robert Ogden's Exotic Dancer, a top performer in France who has yet to race in Britain.
Ogden's home-bred filly Flying Wanda, who finished second in last year's Lancashire Oaks, is the only entry unraced over hurdles and she is one of four representatives for trainer Paul Nicholls, along with Tote Bula Hurdle winner Rigmarole, Pertemps Christmas Hurdle third Sporazene and the progressive handicapper Perouse.
Pertemps Christmas Hurdle fourth Foreman, trained by Francois Doumen bids to become the race's first-ever French-trained winner while there is a noticeably strong contingent from Ireland with 13 entries.
These include the 66/1 winner of Leopardstown's Grade 1 Festival Hurdle, Golden Cross, Hardy Eustace and Back In Front, respectively winners of last season's Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle, 2002 Weatherbys Champion Bumper hero Pizarro, the Bowe family's superb mare Solerina and the 2003 Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle winner Spirit Leader.
The great Baracouda is one of 33 in the bonusprint.com Stayers' Hurdle with the 2003 runner-up Iris's Gift entered to possibly re-enact one of the best races of last season.
Iris's Gift's trainer Jonjo O'Neill has also given Rhinestone Cowboy an entry in the three-mile event as well as recent Haydock Premier Stayers' Hurdle winner Sh Boom.
The Haydock second, Royal Rosa, is also engaged along with the likes of Calling Brave, the Peter Bowen-trained Jollyolly, a six-time winner between May and November, last season's Weatherbys Champion Bumper hero Liberman and Galileo, winner of the 2002 Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle.
The 12 entries from Ireland include Hardy Eustace, Pizarro, last season's Coral Cup hero Xenophon and Sacundai, who beat Rooster Booster at Aintree in April.
Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's Managing Director, commented: "It is great that the winners of last year's Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Smurfit Champion Hurdle and bonusprint.com Stayers' Hurdle are not only all entered to defend their titles but currently favourites to do so.
"We are also delighted also to see a string of other Festival winners progressing to become contenders for the four big prizes at the 2004 Festival."