Kauto Star Tops 17 Cheltenham Gold Cup Entries

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls saddled the first three in last year's totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Denman beating Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges, and the same three horses dominate the betting for this year's renewal of Britain 's top chase which is worth a record £475,000 and staged at 3.20pm on Friday, March 13.

Kauto Star (Ruby Walsh) is favoured in the ante-post market, with the sponsor offering 15/8, followed by Neptune Collonges (Christian Williams) at 5/1 and Denman (Sam Thomas) at 11/2, while Nicholls could also run My Will (Nick Scholfield) and Star De Mohaison, though the last-named is more likely to go for the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, Tuesday, March 10.

The other 12 going forward for the 2009 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup after today's confirmation stage include Denman's recent conqueror Madison Du Berlais from David Pipe's powerful stable, top-class Exotic Dancer who was second to Kauto Star in 2007, the progressive Barbers Shop who is owned by HM the Queen, the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Albertas Run, Air Force One and the 2006 winner War Of Attrition.

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