Best Mate will face a maximum of seven rivals when he bids for back-to-back victories in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown next Tuesday.
The triple Cheltenham Gold Cup hero took this Grade One three-mile contest by nine lengths from Le Coudray last December when it was known as the Ericsson Chase.
Henrietta Knight's nine-year-old is the only British-trained horse among the eight five-day declarations in the absence of Jonjo O'Neill's Keen Leader, who had been a possible contender.
He is likely to be taken on by the Michael Hourigan-trained Beef Or Salmon, who was beaten 13 lengths in third place 12 months ago, and Noel Meade's Harbour Pilot, who has finished third behind Best Mate in the last two Gold Cups.
Tom Taaffe has left in Kicking King although the six-year-old is set to run in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day instead.
Willie Mullins is considering running Rule Supreme, third to Baracouda in the Long Walk Hurdle on Saturday, while the entry is completed by Pizarro, Barrow Drive and Cloudy Bays.
Lexus Chase, Paddy Power bet: 4-7 Best Mate, 5-2 Beef Or Salmon, 10-1 Pizarro, Harbour Pilot, 14-1 Rule Supreme, 25-1 Cloudy Bays, 66-1 Barrow Drive.