Brilliant novice chaser Thistlecrack and top staying hurdler Unowhatimeanharry feature among a host of stars set to run at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day this Saturday.
A nine-race programme also includes the £70,000 Spectra - Cyber Security Solutions Clarence House Chase, which has been rescheduled following the abandonment of Ascot last Saturday, January 21. Entries for the rearranged race will close at noon tomorrow, Tuesday, January 24.
Thistlecrack headlines 11 entries for the £100,000 BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase (2.15pm, 3m 1½f) and the Colin Tizzard-trained nine-year-old, unbeaten in four races as a novice chaser, is out to cement his position at the head of the market for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Impressive in the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle, Thistlecrack has made a sensational start to his career over fences, including when becoming the first novice to win the 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on December 26.
The last two winners of the BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase have also been entered. Many Clouds (Oliver Sherwood) was successful in 2015 before going on to glory in the Randox Health Grand National three months later, while last year's victor Smad Place (Alan King) could make his first start since finishing seventh in the Hennessy Gold Cup in November - a race he won in 2015.
Paul Nicholls, the most successful trainer in the BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase with four victories, has entered seven-time G1 winner Silviniaco Conti, Scottish Grand National victor Vicente and Le Mercurey.
Like Thistlecrack, Unowhatimeanharry is also trying to extend a remarkable winning sequence in the £60,000 G2 galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle (4.00pm, 3m).
The nine-year-old has racked up eight consecutive wins for trainer Harry Fry including victories in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle in March and Ascot's JLT Long Walk Hurdle on his latest outing in December. He is currently the 5/2 favourite with the sponsor for the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle at The Festival.
His 14 potential rivals in the Galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle include Ballyoptic (Nigel Twiston-Davies), who fell at the final flight in the JLT Long Walk Hurdle, plus Un Temps Pour Tout (David Pipe) and Ptit Zig (Paul Nicholls), who were third and fourth in the same race.
The 2015 Stayers' Hurdle winner Cole Harden (Warren Greatrex) and Kotkikova (Nicky Henderson), a prolific winner in France, have also been engaged.
The opening £30,000 JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (12.00pm, 2m 1f) could see a clash between the current market leaders for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, with impressive Kempton Park scorer Charli Parcs (Nicky Henderson) and Finale Juvenile Hurdle winner Defi Du Seuil (Philip Hobbs) featuring among 11 entries.
Further novice action is provided by the £30,000 Neptune Investment Management Classic Novices' Hurdle (3.25pm, 2m 4f ½f), which has 15 entries including Wholestone (Nigel Twiston-Davies), successful in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at The International in December, and the unbeaten Kimberlite Candy (Tom Lacey).
Uxizandre (Alan King), who captured the Ryanair Chase at The Festival in 2015, may make his first appearance since that victory in the £60,000 Hugo's Restaurant Barbados Trophy Handicap Chase.
Annacotty (Alan King) and Ballynagour (David Pipe) have both won major handicap chases over the same course and distance, while BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase contenders Shantou Flyer, Kylemore Lough, Vezelay and Regal Encore could also line up.
Cantlow (Enda Bolger IRE) could bid for a second consecutive victory on Cheltenham's Cross Country Course in the £25,000 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (2.50pm, 3m 6f), which has been re-scheduled from November.
The 15 entries also include 2014 Stayers' Hurdle victor More Of That (Jonjo O'Neill), Clonmel Oil Chase winner Ilelchi Inois (Willie Mullins IRE) and Cross Country veteran Any Currency (Martin Keighley) plus the Emmanuel Clayeux-trained pair of Unbrin De L'Isle and Urgent De Gregaine.
A total of 29 contenders for the £25,000 Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase (12.35pm, 2m 5f) include Singlefarmpayment (Tom George), who took a novices' chase at The International, G2 runner-up Rock The Kasbah (Philip Hobbs) and Ibis Du Rheu (Paul Nicholls), successful in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at The Festival in March.
Racing concludes with the £25,000 Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle (4.35pm, 2m 1f), which has attracted 32 entries including last season's G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle fourth Tombstone (Gordon Elliott IRE).
Order of Running
12.00pm JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (Grade 2) 2m 179y £30,000
12.35pm Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase 2m 4f 166y £25,000
1.10pm Hugo's Restaurant Barbados Trophy Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 2m 4f 166y £60,000
1.45pm Spectra - Cyber Security Solutions Clarence House Chase (Grade 1) 2m 62y £70,000
2.15pm BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) 3m 1f 56y £100,000
2.50pm Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 3m 6f 37y £25,000
3.25pm Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 4f 56y £30,000
4.00pm Galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 7f 213y £60,000
4.35pm Steel Plate & Sections Handicap Hurdle 2m 179y £25,000