WEDNESDAY, January 10th 2018 - The countdown to The Festival begins in earnest today with the unveiling of the entries for the Grade 1 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, March 16th.

The three and a quarter mile showpiece, which carries record prize money of £625,000 in 2018, has attracted 38 entries this year, with a joint record high of 18 trained in Ireland.

Reigning Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, eight-year-old Sizing John (Jessica Harrington IRE), and the talented Might Bite (Nicky Henderson), winner of last year's RSA Chase at The Festival, are the star names among the entries following contrasting displays over Christmas.

Sizing John fluffed his lines in the Grade 1 Leopardstown Christmas Chase won by Road To Respect (Noel Meade IRE), finishing down the field in seventh, while Might Bite overcame Double Shuffle (Tom George) by a length in the Grade 1 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

Sizing John is bidding to become the first horse to win back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups since Best Mate (2002, 2003 & 2004).

Coney Island (Eddie Harty IRE) missed the Christmas action in favour of a graduation chase at Ascot on December 23rd.

The lightly-raced seven-year-old had three starts over fences in his novice season before injury intervened, headlined by a decisive victory over Anibale Fly (Tony Martin IRE) in the G1 Drinmore Novices' Chase over two and a half miles at Fairyhouse in December, 2016.

Arguably, his best performance came later that month over a half a mile further when going down by a half-length to Our Duke (Jessica Harrington IRE) in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Trainer Eddie Harty said: "I was delighted with Coney Island at Ascot. He has come out of it fit and well, and is ready to go again. He has been entered for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase, and will also have entries in the Irish Gold Cup on February 4 and the Ascot Chase a fortnight later. We will go for one of those two and then make a decision about which race to aim for at Cheltenham after that.''

As well as Might Bite, Nicky Henderson, seeking his third Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup success after Long Run (2011) and Bobs Worth (2013) also has entered Whisper, beaten a nose by his stable companion in the 2017 RSA Chase at The Festival and an excellent neck second in the Ladbrokes Trophy when giving a stone to Total Recall (Willie Mullins IRE) at Newbury in early December.

Irish-trained horses have won three of the last four runnings of the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup and Ireland's hand is strengthened further by a team of five from the stable of Willie Mullins.

Mullins, who has saddled the runner-up on five occasions, could call upon Djakadam, second in both 2015 and 2016 and fourth when favourite in 2017, Total Recall, Killultagh Vic, Bachasson and Acapella Bourgeois.

Noel Meade has a strong hand, thanks to recent G1 victor Road To Respect, who was successful in handicap company at The Festival last year, and the progressive Disko, while Gordon Elliott's three entries include Grade 1 victor Outlander.

The home challenge features last year's second and third, Minella Rocco (Jonjo O'Neill) and Native River (Colin Tizzard). The latter is yet to race this season but is being aimed at the race, while Native River's stablemate Cue Card, a dual winner at The Festival but a faller in the last two Cheltenham Gold Cups, is also engaged.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, victorious with Imperial Commander in 2010, is responsible for impressive Grade 1 Betfair Chase hero Bristol De Mai and runaway Becher Handicap Chase victor Blaklion.

The Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup

Grade 1, £625,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.30pm,Cheltenham, Friday, March 16th, 2018. Three miles, two and a half furlongs (3m 2f 70y).

Horse Age Owner Trainer

ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR); 8; Slaneyville Syndicate; Willie Mullins IRE

ANIBALE FLY (FR); 8; J P McManus; Tony Martin IRE

BACHASSON (FR); 7; E O'Connell; Willie Mullins IRE

BALKO DES FLOS (FR); 7; Gigginstown House Stud; Henry de Bromhead IRE

BLAKLION; 9; S Such & CG Paletta; Nigel Twiston-Davies

BRISTOL DE MAI (FR); 7; Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; Nigel Twiston-Davies

CLAN DES OBEAUX (FR); 6; Mr & Mrs P Barber, G Mason, Sir A Ferguson; Paul Nicholls

CLOUDY DREAM (IRE); 8; Trevor Hemmings; Malcolm Jefferson

CONEY ISLAND (IRE); 7; J P McManus; Eddie Harty IRE

CONEYGREE; 11; The Max Partnership; Mark Bradstock

CUE CARD; 12; Jean Bishop; Colin Tizzard

DEFINITLY RED (IRE); 9; P J Martin; Brian Ellison

DISKO (FR); 7; Gigginstown House Stud; Noel Meade IRE

DJAKADAM (FR); 9; Susannah Ricci; Willie Mullins IRE

DOUBLE SHUFFLE (IRE); 8; Crossed Fingers Partnership Tom George

EDWULF 9; J P McManus; Joseph O'Brien IRE

EMPIRE OF DIRT (IRE); 11; Gigginstown House Stud; Gordon Elliott IRE

KILLULTAGH VIC (IRE); 9; Rose Boyd/BAnderson/Mrs MArmstrong; Willie Mullins IRE

MALA BEACH (IRE); 10; Chris Jones; Gordon Elliott IRE

MIGHT BITE (IRE); 9; The Knot Again Partnership; Nicky Henderson

MINELLA ROCCO (IRE); 8; J P McManus; Jonjo O'Neill

NATIVE RIVER (IRE); 8; Brocade Racing; Colin Tizzard

OUR DUKE (IRE); 8; Cooper Family Syndicate; Jessica Harrington IRE

OUTLANDER (IRE); 10; Gigginstown House Stud; Gordon Elliott IRE

ROAD TO RESPECT (IRE); 7; Gigginstown House Stud; Noel Meade IRE

ROCK THE KASBAH (IRE); 8; Diana Whateley; Philip Hobbs

SAPHIR DU RHEU (FR); 9; The Stewart Family; Paul Nicholls

SHANTOU FLYER (IRE); 8; Carl Hinchy; Richard Hobson

SINGLEFARMPAYMENT 8 N T Griffith & H M Haddock Tom George

SIZING JOHN; 8; Ann & Alan Potts Limited Jessica Harrington IRE

SMAD PLACE (FR); 11; Mrs Peter Andrews; Alan King

SUB LIEUTENANT (IRE); 9; Gigginstown House Stud; Henry de Bromhead IRE

TEA FOR TWO; 9; Jane Williams & Len Jakeman; Nick Williams

TENOR NIVERNAIS (FR); 11; Boultbee Brooks Ltd; Venetia Williams

THE LAST SAMURI (IRE); 10; Paul & Clare Rooney; Kim Bailey

TOTAL RECALL (IRE); 9; Slaneyville Syndicate; Willie Mullins IRE

VALSEUR LIDO (FR); 9; Gigginstown House Stud; Henry de Bromhead IRE

WHISPER (FR); 10; Walters Plant Hire Ltd; Nicky Henderson

38 entries

18 Irish-trained