Don Poli working on Willie Mullins' gallop© Photo Healy Racing
Bookmakers expect Bryan Cooper to side with Don Poli over Don Cossack in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.
As retained rider for leading owners Gigginstown House Stud, 23-year-old Cooper is in the privileged yet difficult position of having multiple horses to choose from in the blue riband.
While last year's third Road To Riches and recent Irish Gold Cup faller Valseur Lido are also in the mix at this stage, it would appear Cooper is mulling over whether to ride dual Festival winner Don Poli, trained by Willie Mullins, or Gordon Elliott's pride and joy Don Cossack.
Don Cossack might be at the head of ante-post lists, but both Paddy Power and Coral make Don Poli the odds-on favourite to be Cooper's chosen mount.
Paddy Power offer 1-2 about Don Poli, with Don Cossack a 6-4 chance.
"While we're guessing, a number of factors including quite a good chance of Cheltenham coming up soft make us think Bryan will end up riding Poli who will relish such a surface," said Power.
Coral have the two horses slightly closer together at 4-6 and 11-10 respectively.
Both firms are also pricing up which horse Ruby Walsh will ride and have differing views.
Paddy Power are unable to split last year's runner-up Djakadam and the brilliant Vautour making them both 5-6 shots to be ridden by Walsh.
Coral, however, make Vautour just 2-5, with Djakadam 7-4.
Coral's David Stevens said: "Both Ruby Walsh and Bryan Cooper could face the sort of high class problem any of their rivals would welcome when it comes to picking their Gold Cup mounts, as their potential rides dominate the latest ante-post betting on the race."
