Empire Of Dirt has already scored at the track, having triumphed at the Festival there in the spring for the now-retired Colm Murphy, while Killer Crow unseated in the Kerry National before finishing seventh in the Munster National on his last couple of appearances.

More Of That is also among the 43 entries for the big handicap on November 12. Jonjo O'Neill's 2014 World Hurdle hero won twice over fences at Prestbury Park last season, but broke a blood vessel in the RSA Chase in March.

The eight-year-old is due to make his first competitive appearance since in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on Sunday, and the sponsors make him their 8-1 favourite for next month's race.

O'Neill has also entered Taquin Du Seuil, winner of the 2014 JLT Novices' Chase at Prestbury Park.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Garde La Victoire has won at this meeting for the past two seasons, having landed the Greatwood Hurdle in 2014 and the Arkle Trophy Trial last season. The seven-year-old made a successful reappearance in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las earlier this month.

Paul Nicholls could call upon 2014 winner Caid Du Berlais, while Saphir Du Rheu and Art Mauresque are also part of his eight-strong entry.

Last year's one-two Annacotty and Buywise are in contention once more for Alan King and Evan Williams respectively.

Buywise was fourth over hurdles at Aintree last Sunday, and Williams could also be represented by King's Odyssey.

He said: "The plan is to run either Buywise or King's Odyssey in the BetVictor Gold Cup and which one goes to Cheltenham will be dictated by the ground. If the going doesn't suit the one horse, hopefully it will suit the other.

"We are definitely keeping an eye on the race for Buywise again, although he is a much better horse on decent ground.

"His run over the weekend was fantastic and just what the doctor ordered after what happened in the Grand National. It was stupid to try him in that race because he was either going to be an almighty failure or just scrape round - the fact that he did the latter was a good thing."

"We have had such a dry autumn that everything could fall right for him this time. King's Odyssey is the complete opposite in terms of the ground. He is very good over his fences but would want plenty of cut. He did it nicely at Cheltenham last season and we didn't run him again because he is a big lump of a horse and we didn't want to take a risk on quicker going. I hope that a mark of 147 would give him a very good chance if we got plenty of rain beforehand."

Other contenders include David Pipe's King's Socks, who is yet to start in Britain but is a chase winner in France, and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Bristol De Mai.