Leading ante-post hopes Aiteen Thirtythree and Great Endeavour feature among 18 declared runners for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Aiteen Thirtythree has had the prestigious handicap as his long-term objective for much of his career and lines up following a highly encouraging second behind Somersby at Kempton.
The champion trainer also saddles top-weight Neptune Collonges, the mount of Harry Derham, and Michel Le Bon, who will be ridden by Noel Fehily on his first start since winning at this meeting two years ago.
Great Endeavour, trained by David Pipe, is bidding for a big-race double having won the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham just a fortnight ago. Pipe's father Martin saddled Celestial Gold to win both races in 2004.
Two of last season's most exciting novice chasers in Wayward Prince and Wymott both take their chance, while Planet Of Sound is one of three runners for Philip Hobbs, along with Fair Along and Balthazar King.
Joncol was an expected absentee from the final field, but Muirhead does make the journey from Ireland. Other interesting contenders include Beshabar, Sarando, Carruthers and The Giant Bolster.
Charlie Longsdon's Qhilimar is the last horse in the handicap and officially 5lb out of the weights.
The seven-year-old won at Newton Abbott on his seasonal reappearance before running third at Carlisle and his trainer feels he is a lively outsider.
"He is out of the handicap and he's going to be a big price, but I hope he can run well," said Longsdon.
"He's going to be getting loads of weight from plenty of others in the race and that could be important over three and a quarter miles."
