The first four home in the Murphy's Gold Cup at Cheltenham earlier this month feature among the 34 entries published yesterday for the Tripleprint Gold Cup at the same course on Saturday December 12th.

Martin Pipe's Cyfor Malta, rerouted from the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup to be run at Newbury this weekend, is accompanied by Murphy's runner-up Simply Dashing and the third-placed Bertone.

And Murphy's fourth, Challenger du Luc, like Cyfor Mala trained by Pipe and owned by David Johnson, also figures, along with stable-companions Cyborgo, Northern Starlight and the Johnson pair Or Royal and Tamarindo.

The race, over two miles and five furlongs, offers £75,000 in added prize money, a 25 per cent increase on last year which has also attracted Addington Boy and Senor El Betrutti, successful in 1996 and 12 months ago respectively.

The Tripleprint is the second leg of the course's "Winter Kings 21/2 -mile Challenge", which offers £25,000 to any trainer who can land the Murphy's, Tripleprint, Unicoin Handicap Chase and Ladbroke Trophy between November and January.

Entries for the Tripleprint Gold Cup: Cyborgo, Cyfor Malta, Simply Dashing, Mulligan, Senor El Betrutti, Addington Boy, Or Royal, Challenger du Luc, Bertone, Super Coin, Tamarindo, Callisoe Bay, Pete The Parson, Squire Silk, Potter's Bay, Stormy Passage, Go Universal, Fine Thyne, Anabatic, Jibber The Kibber, Red Marauder, Colonel In Chief, Even Flow, Northern Starlight, Tidebrook, Hoh Warrior, Philip's Woody, Mr Strong Gale, Dr Leunt, Queen of Spades, Eirespray, Wayward King, All The Aces, Forestal.

The RSPCA yesterday welcomed the Jockey Club's announcement that it is planning to introduce a series of "whipless" races in 1999. The club revealed yesterday that such races, which will allow whips to be carried for steering but not used to strike a horse, could be staged at the beginning of next year's Flat turf season.