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Cheltenham Festival: Al Boum Photo and Santini leading lights as 12 left in Cheltenham Gold Cup after confirmations

, Cheltenham Festival: Al Boum Photo and Santini leading lights as 12 left in Cheltenham Gold Cup after confirmations

A maximum field of 12 will take part in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup as Al Boum Photo and Santini were one of a dozen left in the big race.

At the confirmation stage there were no major absentees and the bookies left the market alone.

Having saddled the runner-up on no less than six occasions, the Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most trainer Willie Mullins finally claimed the most prestigious prize in National Hunt racing after Al Boum Photo roared up the hill in front 12 months ago.

Having warmed up for his return to the Cotswolds by winning the same New Year’s Day race at Tramore as he did last year, the eight-year-old is well fancied to become the first horse to successfully defend the Gold Cup crown since Best Mate, who completed a hat-trick between 2002 and 2004.

Mullins has a notable string to his bow in Kemboy, who made it no further than the first fence in last year’s renewal, but was impressive on his next start at Aintree and defeated Al Boum Photo in a Punchestown Gold Cup that will forever be remembered as Ruby Walsh’s swansong.

However, he has had to make do with minor honours on each of his two starts this season behind Delta Work, who will bid to provide his trainer Gordon Elliott with a second Gold Cup, following the triumph of Don Cossack four years ago.

Pat Kelly’s Presenting Percy was favourite for the blue riband last season, but needs to raise his game after finishing behind Delta Work and Kemboy in the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup this term.

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The Irish challenge is completed by the Mullins-trained Real Steel and Henry de Bromhead’s pair of Monalee and Chris’s Dream.

The home team is headed by Nicky Henderson’s Santini, who has long been considered a Gold Cup contender, and has joined Al Boum Photo at the head of the market since defeating Bristol De Mai in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in late January.

Solo, Goshen and Allmankind feature among 20 horses confirmed for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham on the same day.

Nicholls can also call on the improving Sir Psycho, while the shortest-priced Irish contender is Henry de Bromhead’s Aspire Tower, despite his final-flight fall at Leopardstown last month.

Other hopefuls include Joseph O’Brien’s Leopardstown winner A Wave Of The Sea and his stable companion Cerberus.

Grade 1 honours are also up for grabs in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, for which 33 have stood their ground.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Thyme Hill has been at the top of the market for the three-mile contest for much of the season, having looked an out and-out stayer in winning each of his three hurdling starts since finishing third in last season’s Champion Bumper.

Harry Senior is a leading contender for Colin Tizzard and Ramses De Teillee brings plenty of experience to the table for David Pipe.

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The Irish contingent includes the Willie Mullins-trained Monkfish and Paul Nolan’s Grade 1 winner Latest Exhibition.

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