Irish trainers are responsible for well over half of the 32 entries in the Grade 1 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Eight of the 18 Irish-trained entries, a new record (previous highest 13), are housed with trainer Willie Mullins who is after a first victory in the extended three and a quarter mile championship contest. They include Djakadam, runner-up last year, and dual Festival scorer Vautour.

RSA Chase hero Don Poli, one of nine entries for Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud, is also engaged by Mullins alongside fellow Grade 1 victors Sir Des Champs, Boston Bob and Valseur Lido. On His Own, runner-up to Lord Windermere (Jim Culloty) in the 2014 renewal, and Ballycasey complete the Mullins octet.

Don Cossack heads three entries for another Irish trainer Gordon Elliott who is yet to have a runner in the Gold Cup. The nine-year-old is the highest-rated chaser in training after Grade 1 triumphs at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring, but blotted his copybook when falling in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. Elliott has also entered exciting novice No More Heroes, and Roi Du Mee.

Noel Meade is doubly represented by dual Grade 1 scorer Road To Riches, who was beaten three and a half lengths into third last year, and RSA Chase third Wounded Warrior.

Road To Riches has not run since landing the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase in November, while Wounded Warrior last appeared when chasing home Valseur Lido in a Grade 1 contest at Punchestown in April.

Meade commented: "I could not be happier with Road To Riches. We had a bit of a blood disorder and snotty nose with him at Christmas, but all is well now and the plan is to go to Leopardstown for the Irish Gold Cup (February 6th).

"I felt last year that we tried to put it up to Coneygree and then Djakadam came and got us as we faded on the run-in. I think Djakadam will improve because he was a young horse last year.

"I would be really happy if I could get Road To Riches to Cheltenham in the same condition as last year. He might even improve a little bit as well because he will be a fresher horse this time around. He'd had a long season going there last year.

"I'm not sure ground is a big factor with Road To Riches. He handles soft ground and goes on good ground. You would say the ground was a help to Coneygree last year and we know Djakadam goes very well on soft ground. Those are factors that might make a difference, but we will see.

"We have just had a few muscle problems with Wounded Warrior that have held him up. He will be entered in the Grand National, Irish National and plenty of other long distance races because he wants a trip.

"He is in the Gold Cup and we will see how things go. He is a huge horse that I have always liked a lot and I am hoping he will improve. Hopefully, we can keep him right and have a good end to the season."

Carlingford Lough (John Kiely), Gilgamboa (Enda Bolger), First Lieutenant (Mouse Morris) and Morning Assembly (Pat Fahy) complete the Irish entries.

Cue Card (Colin Tizzard) heads the home challenge after an excellent campaign that has seen the rejuvenated 10-year-old win the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park and the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton Park. The latter two victories have set him up for a tilt at the new £1-million bonus offered by Jockey Club Racecourses for any horse who can win the Betfair Chase, William Hill King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup this season.

Alan King has entered impressive Hennessy Gold Cup scorer Smad Place, while Saphir Du Rheu tops three entries for Britain's champion trainer Paul Nicholls.

The only British-trained novice engaged is Scottish-based Seeyouatmidnight (Sandy Thomson) who produced an excellent round of jumping to win a Grade 2 novices' chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. Coneygree became the first novice for 41 years to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2015.

Other notable names include Al Ferof (Dan Skelton), third to Cue Card on Boxing Day, 2014 RSA Chase victor O'Faolains Boy (Rebecca Curtis) and 2015 Crabbie's Grand National hero Many Clouds (Oliver Sherwood), who finished sixth last year.

TIMICO CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP

Grade 1, £575,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, Friday, March 18, 2016. Three miles, two and a half furlongs (3m 2f 70y).

AL FEROF (FR) 11 John Hales Dan Skelton

BALLYCASEY (IRE) 9 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

BOSTON BOB (IRE) 11 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE

CARLINGFORD LOUGH (IRE) 10 J P McManus John Kiely IRE

CHAMPAGNE WEST (IRE) 8 Roger Brookhouse Philip Hobbs

CUE CARD 10 Jean Bishop Colin Tizzard

DJAKADAM (FR) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

DON COSSACK (GER) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

DON POLI (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

FIRST LIEUTENANT (IRE) 11 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE

GILGAMBOA (IRE) 8 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE

HOLYWELL (IRE) 9 Gay Smith Jonjo O'Neill

IRISH CAVALIER (IRE) 7 Andrew McIver Rebecca Curtis

LORD WINDERMERE (IRE) 10 Dr Ronan Lambe Jim Culloty IRE

MANY CLOUDS (IRE) 9 Trevor Hemmings Oliver Sherwood

MORNING ASSEMBLY (IRE) 9 Clipper Logistics Group Ltd Pat Fahy IRE

NO MORE HEROES (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

O'FAOLAINS BOY (IRE) 9 Trembath, Hyde, Outhart & Hill Rebecca Curtis

ON HIS OWN (IRE) 12 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE

ROAD TO RICHES (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE

ROCKY CREEK (IRE) 10 The Johnson & Stewart Families Paul Nicholls

ROI DU MEE (FR) 11 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

SAPHIR DU RHEU (FR) 7 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls

SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT 8 Quona Thomson Sandy Thomson

SIR DES CHAMPS (FR) 10 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

SMAD PLACE (FR) 9 Trish Andrews Alan King

THE GIANT BOLSTER 11 Simon Hunt & Gary Lambton David Bridgwater

TRIOLO D'ALENE (FR) 9 Sandy & Caroline Orr Nicky Henderson

VALSEUR LIDO (FR) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

VAUTOUR (FR) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

VIRAK (FR) 7 Hills of Ledbury (Aga) Paul Nicholls

WOUNDED WARRIOR (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE

32 entries

18 Irish-trained