El Fabiolo will face seven rivals in his bid to remain unbeaten over fences in Wednesday’s Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
A perfect six from six over fences, Willie Mullins' star two-mile chaser finds himself a general 4/9 shot to confirm his superiority over the likes of Jonbon and Edwardstone, who both stood their ground in opposition.
The Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon got the better of El Fabiolo in the Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in 2022 but has five and a half lengths to make up on the form of last year's Arkle.
Jonbon, a 7/2 chance to reverse last year's Arkle form, beat Edwardstone in the Shloer Chase and Tingle Creek this season before suffering a shock defeat in the rescheduled Clarence House at Prestbury Park last-time-out. The latter-mentioned Alan King-trained 2022 Arkle winner got back to winning ways with a dominant front-running performance in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last month and is 7/1 to record a second Festival success over fences.
Gentleman De Mee, Captain Guinness, Elixir De Nutz, Boothill and Funambule Sivola complete the field of eight.
Following notable deliberation heading into the Festival, Ballyburn's presence in the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle has seen just eight of the 24 entries declared for Wednesday's Grade 1 opener.
As expected, Paul Townend will partner Ballyburn (8/15) for Willie Mullins, who saddles five of the eight set to line up.
The Ben Pauling-trained Handstands heads the home challenge as he attempts to make it four from four under Rules following his impressive success in the Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon.
Among those not declared for the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle was Gidleigh Park, with trainer Harry Fry confirming his exiting prospect will instead take up his entry in Friday's Albert Bartlett.
Just 25 of the 47 confirmations have been declared for the Coral Cup. The lack of declarations sees the likes of the well-fancied Doddiethegreat (7/1), who will now be partnered by Nico De Boinville, get into the contest. Sa Majeste heads the betting as a general 11/2 shot having been allocated a British mark of 140 following his defeat of Grand National hero Noble Yeats in a conditions hurdle at Limerick in December.
