Best Mate remains hot favourite for hat-trick

RACING: Best Mate remains a hot favourite to win an historic third Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup following the publication of the entries yesterday.

Henrietta Knight's champion is a 4 to 6 chance with Coral and Ladbrokes, while William Hill and the Tote go 8 to 11.

Keen Leader, at 8 to 1, is Coral's second favourite ahead of Beef Or Salmon, Sir Rembrandt and Truckers Tavern, who are all on 12 to 1 with the firm.

Best Mate, one of 32 entries for the March 18th contest, became only the sixth horse to successfully defend his title in chasing's blue riband event when following up on his 2002 success last March.

At this year's Festival he will bid to record a third successive Cheltenham Gold Cup victory, a feat achieved only by the legendary trio of Arkle (1964-66), Cottage Rake (1948-50) and Golden Miller, who won jump racing's top chase five times from 1932-36.

But there is a talented team of opponents also dreaming of landing the £350,000 contest, including Kingscliff, winner of last season's Christie's Foxhunter Chase at the Festival but a well-beaten second at Haydock on Saturday, and Sir Rembrandt, both hailing from the stable of Robert Alner, successful in the 1998 race with Cool Dawn.

Commanche Court and Truckers Tavern, runners-up to Best Mate in the last two Cheltenham Gold Cups, have been entered, while the young pretenders include the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Keen Leader and Martin Pipe's star novice Therealbandit, who has twice won over fences round Prestbury Park.

There is a nine-strong challenge from Ireland, headed by Beef Or Salmon, a third-fence faller in last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. Other Irish-trained entries include last year's third, Harbour Pilot, the veteran Florida Pearl and his stablemates Macs Gildoran and Rule Supreme.

There are 25 entries in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, run on the second day of the Festival, March 17th, including last year's winner, Moscow Flyer.

Jessica Harrington's champion is one of eight entries from Ireland in the two-mile showpiece, alongside the likes of Le Coudray, who was second to Best Mate in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown last month, and Native Upmanship, the Champion Chase runner-up for the past two seasons.

Cheltenham Gold Cup: Coral: 4-6 Best Mate, 8-1 Keen Leader 12-1 Beef Or Salmon, Sir Rembrandt, Truckers Tavern, 16-1 Kingscliff, Jair Du Cochet, Therealbandit, 20-1 First Gold, 33-1 Valley Henry, Irish Hussar, Commanche Court, 40-1 La Landiere, Chives, Harbour Pilot, Artic Jack, Fondmort, Rince Ri, 50-1 Shardam, 66-1 Alexander Banquet, Cyfor Malta, Florida Pearl, Rule Supreme, Sleeping Night, What's Up Boys, 100-1 Macs Gildoran, Shooting Light, Toto Toscato, You're Agoodun, 500-1 Jenniferjo, 1,000-1 Venn Ottery.

Queen Mother Champion Chase: Coral: 11-8 Moscow Flyer, 2-1 Azertyuiop, 16-1 Cenkos, Flagship Uberalles, Isio, Kadarann, Le Roi Miguel, Tiutchev, 20-1 Le Coudray, Native Upmanship, 33-1 Got One Too, Knife Edge, Latalomne, Native Scout, Palarshan, Seebald, Young Devereaux, 40-1 Farmer Jack, 50-1 Adamant Approach, 66-1 Killultagh Storm, Redemption, 100-1 Ei Ei, Eskleybrook, Petersham, 1,000-1 Venn Ottery.