Back-to-back Smurfit Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace heads 35 entries for this year's renewal at the Cheltenham Festival on March 14th.
The Dessie Hughes-trained nine-year-old will be attempting to become the sixth horse to land hurdling's greatest prize three times; following on from Hatton's Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War, See You Then and Istabraq.
Hardy Eustace recently confirmed his well-being with a comfortable success on his seasonal reappearance at Punchestown on New Year's Eve. Harchibald and Brave Inca, second and third respectively behind Hardy Eustace in 2005 - which gave the Irish a one-two-three - are entered again and are among 13 possibles hailing from Ireland this year.
Other prominent contenders from the other side of the Irish Sea are brilliant Christmas Hurdle winner Feathard Lady and the fit-again Asian Maze, who was expected to bid for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.
Al Eile and Essex could also take their chance in the extended two-mile contest. Last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Arcalis, who is trained by Howard Johnson, heads the British challenge.
Other leading British contenders include the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Lingo - impressive when taking the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham's Open Meeting in November - Penzance and Faasel, who were separated by just a head in last year's JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Festival.
France is represented by five entries - the pick of which being the Arnaud Chaille-Chaille pair of Ambobo and Sunspot.