19 have been entered for the Grade 1 Betfair Chase, including reigning champion Grey Dawning.
Dan Skelton's superstar chaser landed the race in superb style 12 months ago, cruising beyond dual-winner Royal Pagaille while still on the bridle.
The nine-year-old avenged his defeat from the previous year, where the finishing order between the first and second were reversed. He now looks likely to head to the Haydock feature for the third time, potentially alongside stablemates Pic d'Orhy and Doyen Quest.
Pic d'Orhy only joined the Skelton yard over the summer, but has already landed a Grade 2 when winning the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. The 11-year-old looked better than ever at the Yorkshire track, toying with his rivals to score by six-and-a-half-lengths.
Skelton was crowned champion trainer for the very first time in 2025/26 and still has some way to go if he wants to match the tally amassed by his old boss Paul Nicholls, who has 13 championships to his name. Nicholls has Caldwell Potter among the list of rivals set to take on Grey Dawning.
An expensive purchase back in 2024, he was victorious in the Mildmay Novices' Chase the following year before being ruled out of the entirety of last season and has not been seen since.
Nicholls has confirmed that the Betfair Chase is his main early campaign target, saying: "I was trying to push towards trying to run there, ground-permitting and him being ready. I've also entered him in the Coral Gold Cup, but that was in case the Betfair didn't happen and I wouldn't really want to enter him in a competitive handicap first time out.
Over from Ireland could come Ryanair Chase winner Heart Wood, as well as Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury. The latter upset the odds to land the Leopardstown Christmas showpiece in 2025, defeating three-time champion Galopin Des Champs and subsequent dual Grand National hero I Am Maximus.
Joseph O'Brien has also entered former King George winner Banbridge after he finished third behind Haiti Couleurs at Down Royal last weekend.
Betfair Chase full entries
Affordale Fury
Apple Away
Banbridge
Caldwell Potter
Doyen Quest
Gorgeous Tom
Grey Dawning
Handstands
Heart Wood
Inothewayurthinkin
Iroko
Jagwar
Konfusion
L'Homme Presse
Pic d'Orhy
Salver
Steel Ally
The Big Westerner
Wendigo
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
