Past three Gold Cup winners set for Cheltenham renewal

Kauto Star, Denman and Imperial Commander - the past three winners of the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup - feature among 34 entries for chasing's blue riband prize in March.

The first-named, trained by Paul Nicholls, was successful in 2007 and 2009, and his stablemate Denman won in 2008 while Nigel Twiston-Davies' Imperial Commander upstaged both last spring with a surprise victory. Nicholls has a total of seven entries while last year's third Mon Mome, the fourth Carruthers and the fifth Cooldine may go back and bid for glory.

The other members of a formidable Nicholls team are Neptune Collonges, who took third in 2008 and fourth in 2009, Noland, What A Friend, Pride Of Dulcote and King George hopeful The Nightingale. Tom Cooper's 2009 Arkle hero Forpadydeplasterer, Barker, Kempes, Joncol, Sizing Europe and China Rock are among the Irish possibles.

Hennessy winner Diamond Harry, Neil Mulholland's Cheltenham specialist Midnight Chase, Money Trix, Planet Of Sound, Tidal Bay and Paul Webber's exciting novice Time For Rupert, the ante-post favourite for the RSA Chase at the Festival, also hold Gold Cup entries. Kauto Star was a faller in last year's race and will be in action at Kempton on Saturday when looking for an historic fifth victory in the rescheduled William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton. Denman is set to head straight to the Festival, having finished a gallant third under top weight in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November.

"Denman had a nice break after the Hennessy. He's just started out again and had his first canter yesterday for a long while. He'll now be cantering every day and be sharpened up for Cheltenham," said the champion trainer.

"We proved last year by running him in the Aon (Newbury) not fully wound-up it wasn't the right thing to do. He wants to be at his very best and it's pointless having him at his best a month before the Gold Cup.

"Realistically it's his last chance of running at his very best this year."