Florida Pearl could face up to six English-trained opponents when he runs in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 7th.
Escartefigue, Addington Boy and the Paddy Power Chase winner, Calling Wild, are already intended runners, while the Grand National winner, Earth Summit, Go Ballistic and Calling Wild's stablemate See More Business also figure among the total of 16 entries.
However, if Florida Pearl does make it to the Hennessy start, he is unlikely to get a chance of revenge on his Ericsson conqueror Dorans Pride.
Michael Hourigan said immediately after Dorans Pride's Christmas success that the horse was unlikely to run again before the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and although Dorans Pride figures among the Hennessy entries, he is unlikely to take part.
"It's still early to say for definite but I don't imagine he will run. However, if Florida Pearl doesn't run for some reason and it cuts up into a moderate race, then we might reconsider," Hourigan said yesterday.
Willie Mullins, though, reports Florida Pearl to be in top form and on course for a race which many hope will re-establish his position at the head of the Gold Cup market following his fall at the third last in the Ericsson.
"He is 100 per cent. Everything is going well. It looks like it might be a hot race but there are no problems at the moment," he said. A spokesman for David Nicholson confirmed the King George runner-up, Escartefigue, as an intended starter and Calling Wild is the more likely runner of the Paul Nicholls trained pair.
Nicholls said yesterday: "We have entered See More Business as well as Calling Wild but Calling Wild is the more likely to run. At the moment, See More Business is being aimed at the Pillar Chase at Cheltenham. The field for the Hennessy may cut up, though, and that's why we've entered both.
"Calling Wild stayed on well when winning the Paddy Power and he could run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup depending on how he performs at Leopardstown." Calling Wild has been given a Gold Cup quote of 50 to 1 by Sean Grahams.
Addington Boy has recently been transferred from Nicky Richards's yard to Ferdy Murphy's in Middleham and the 1996 Tripleprint Gold Cup winner will take in the Hennessy before going for the Gold Cup and the Grand National.
Murphy said yesterday: "Addington Boy has been here for four weeks. The horse had gone a bit stale. He had been very impressive two years ago but he got a kick in a paddock at Greystoke and has never been the same since.
"But I love him. I ride him out all the time and he is a grand, christian of a horse. Adrian Maguire is coming up to school him on Sunday morning and he will ride at Leopardstown."
Twenty-two horses have been left in the PJ Moriarty Novice Chase, including Nick Dundee, Native Estates and Promalee. An intriguing sole English entry is Jenny Pitman's Stayers' Hurdle winner Princeful.
