There are 78 entries for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, with over half (41) trained in Ireland.

Yanworth (Alan King) tops the ante-post lists for the two mile and five furlong contest following a flawless campaign that has yielded four victories, two of which have come at Grade 2 level. The JP McManus-owned six-year-old's most recent success came easily in the Grade 2 Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last Saturday.

Willie Mullins is again very well represented with 22 entries. Bellshill appears to be the main hope for Ireland's champion Jump trainer following three wins from three starts over hurdles, the latest of which was in a Grade 1 event over two and a half miles at Naas on January 3.

Lambourn trainer Warren Greatrex broke his duck at the Festival last year with Cole Harden in the World Hurdle. He appears to have another smart performer on his hands with Ma Du Fou.

Ma Du Fou started his career when easily winning a bumper at Wetherby in April, 2014. He debuted over hurdles last season but failed to win in two attempts. However, he has left that form well behind this year with facile successes at Ffos Las in November and Bangor the following month.

Greatrex said: "I've always thought a lot of Ma Du Fou; he's won his two races nicely this year. A lot will depend on his next run. He could go for the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon (February 11) and there is also a Listed novices' hurdle at Exeter (February 14) to consider. Hopefully, he can make one of them and if he runs well then he's still in the reckoning for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

"He's always one I've liked but mentally wasn't right last year and he has just taken a bit of time to come to himself. Last year he wasn't right, just health-wise he wasn't there. He ran OK twice but I thought he was far better than that and this season he's won two fairly easy races very easily. Though a lot will depend on what he does next, he is a nice horse."

NEPTUNE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT NOVICES' HURDLE

Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £120,000, Cheltenham, 1.30pm, Wednesday, March 16th. Old Course, two miles and five furlongs (2m 5f 26yds).

Horse Age Owner Trainer

A TOI PHIL (FR) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR) 6 Slaneyville Syndicate Sandra Hughes IRE

AFFAIRE D'HONNEUR (FR) 5 Holt Robinson Kronbauer Macnabb O'Connor Harry Whittington

ANIBALE FLY (FR) 6 J P McManus Tony Martin IRE

ARKWRISHT (FR) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

AU QUART DE TOUR (FR) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

BABBLING STREAM 5 John I O'Byrne Willie Mullins IRE

BACHASSON (FR) 5 E O'Connell Willie Mullins IRE

BADEN (FR) 5 Triermore Stud Nicky Henderson

BAILY CLOUD (IRE) 6 R A Scott Mouse Morris IRE

BALKO DES FLOS (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

BARTERS HILL (IRE) 6 Circle Of Friends Ben Pauling

BELLO CONTI (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

BELLSHILL (IRE) 6 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE

BLEU ET ROUGE (FR) 5 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE

BLUE RAMBLER 6 Bloomfields John Ferguson

BUVEUR D'AIR (FR) 5 Potensis Bloodstock Ltd & Chris Giles Nicky Henderson

CHAIN GANG 5 Barry Connell Alan Fleming IRE

CHARBEL (IRE) 5 Julie and David Martin Kim Bailey

CONEY ISLAND (IRE) 5 J P McManus Edward Harty IRE

COTTERSROCK (IRE) 6 Stuart Baikie Martin Keighley

DONT TELL NO ONE (IRE) 8 B Gleeson Dermot Weld IRE

DUKE DES CHAMPS (IRE) 6 Diana Whateley & Tim Syder Philip Hobbs

FAGAN 6 Ronnie Bartlett Gordon Elliott IRE

FLYING ANGEL (IRE) 5 R J Rexton Nigel Twiston-Davies

GANGSTER (FR) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

GHOST RIVER 6 John Andrews Peter Bowen

ITS'AFREEBEE (IRE) 6 Rebel Jumping Dan Skelton

JOT'EM DOWN (IRE) 5 Simon Hunt David Bridgwater

LABEL DES OBEAUX (FR) 5 David Sewell & Terry Warner Alan King

LAST ENCOUNTER (IRE) 6 Mary Mullins Mags Mullins IRE

LIMINI (IRE) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

LONG DOG 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

MA DU FOU (FR) 6 Walters Plant Hire & James & Jean Potter Warren Greatrex

MAHLERS STAR (IRE) 6 Simon Hunt & Jack Hunt David Bridgwater

MIN (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

MINELLA AWARDS (IRE) 5 Potensis Bloodstock Ltd & Chris Giles Nicky Henderson

MINELLA DADDY (IRE) 6 Roddy Owen & Paul Fullagar Peter Bowen

MODUS 6 J P McManus Paul Nicholls

MOON OVER GERMANY (IRE) 5 Philip J Reynolds Edward Harty IRE

MYSKA (IRE) 6 Supreme Horse Racing Club Willie Mullins IRE

MYSTICAL KNIGHT 7 J P McManus Rebecca Curtis

NAMBOUR (GER) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

NORTH HILL HARVEY 5 Mrs G Widdowson & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes Dan Skelton

O O SEVEN (IRE) 6 Triermore Stud Nicky Henderson

OKOTOKS (IRE) 6 Malcolm Denmark Tony Martin IRE

OPEN EAGLE (IRE) 7 Supreme Horse Racing Club/Colin Gray Willie Mullins IRE

PENGLAI PAVILION (USA) 6 Bloomfields John Ferguson

PETER THE MAYO MAN (IRE) 6 Masterson Holdings Limited Neil Mulholland

PETIT MOUCHOIR (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

POLITOLOGUE (FR) 5 John Hales Paul Nicholls

PREMIER BOND 6 Middleham Park Racing XI Nicky Henderson

ROADIE JOE (IRE) 7 Billy Bates Evan Williams

ROMAN GOLD (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

SHANTOU VILLAGE (IRE) 6 Jane Gerard-Pearse Neil Mulholland

SOLSTICE STAR 6 E&G Racing Ltd Martin Keighley

SOUTHSEA ISLAND (IRE) 8 Roy Wilson Stuart Crawford IRE

STONE HARD (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE

TARA FLOW 6 Kate & Andrew Brooks Venetia Williams

THEO'S CHARM (IRE) 6 Michael O'Shea Nick Gifford

THOMAS HOBSON 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

THUMB STONE BLUES (IRE) 6 P O'Dwyer Shay Barry IRE

TOMBSTONE (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

TOWNSHEND (GER) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

TYCOON PRINCE (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

UP FOR REVIEW (IRE) 7 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE

VICTORY MILL (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE

VIGIL (IRE) 7 Noel Furlong Dermot Weld IRE

WADE HARPER (IRE) 6 Favourites Racing (Syndication) Ltd 4 David Dennis

WELSH SHADOW (IRE) 6 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Dan Skelton

WESTEND STAR (IRE) 7 Paul & Clare Rooney Gordon Elliott IRE

WHAT'S THE SCOOP (IRE) 6 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson

WHISPERING STORM (GER) 6 Masterson Holdings Limited Paul Nicholls

WORK IN PROGRESS (IRE) 6 Donlon & Doyle Dan Skelton

YALA ENKI (FR) 6 Hills of Ledbury (Aga) Venetia Williams

YANWORTH 6 J P McManus Alan King

YORKHILL (IRE) 6 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE

78 entries

41 Irish-trained