Age: 7 Odds: 4-1

A strong-finishing second in this race at Cheltenham last March before falling at Becher’s at Aintree in the Grand National the following month, he signed off by making amends at Punchestown and hasn’t looked back this season, winning both starts and seeing off the talented Ferns Lock with a power-packed finish at Down Royal on Boxing Day. 

His strong-finishing run style looks tailor-made for Prestbury Park so another big show at the Festival looks very much on the cards.

Age: 7 Odds: 4-1

This forward-going seven-year-old boasts some high-class form in points and under rules, most notably when thrashing Billaway by 20 lengths at Thurles last year. However, he was collared late on by the strong-staying It’s On The Line at Down Royal over Christmas and that rival looks better equipped to deal with the stiff New Course at Cheltenham in March. 

Ferns Lock is still relatively lightly-raced though, and his high cruising speed is too much for most rivals in this sphere.

Age: 12 Odds: 8-1

Well into the veteran stages of a star-studded career that includes two Cheltenham Festival wins, he looked to have fallen out of love with the game until revitalised by the switch to points in the last couple of years, winning his last four starts by more than a combined 94 lengths. 

Not at his best on his return from a year off the track at Tinahely in November, he's entitled to benefit plenty from that so he's by no means a longshot to become just the second horse aged above 11 (other being Earthmover in 2004) to win the race this century.

Age: 9 Odds: 10-1

He seemed to be carrying all before him in hunter chases last season until weakening into sixth in the Cheltenham Festival contest. The combination of the trip and soft ground seemed to bottom out his stamina that day but hemade no mistake when dropped back in distance at Aintree the following month, where he scored by four and a half lengths with something to spare. 

Clearly very talented, but his best form is all on decent ground so connections will be praying that conditions at Prestbury Park are not overly testing.

Age: 8 Odds: 12-1

He's 0-19 under rules but a completely different proposition in hunter chases, as he showed when readily seeing off It’s On The Line by four lengths at Ballindenisk when last seen in May. 

He  would probably have finished third but for the loose horse in this race last year (made the running) so he's clearly capable of mixing it on the biggest stage, but his forward-going run style is not ideal in big-field races where easy leads are hard to come by. Looks best suited by three miles so this trip also stretches him.