Clondaw Warrior winning over hurdles at Limerick© Photo Healy Racing
The Willie Mullins-trained Clondaw Warrior heads a four-strong Irish challenge for The Ladbroke at Ascot on Saturday.
Progressive on the level this year, the seven-year-old was third in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on his return to the National Hunt game.
He will be joined on the journey across the Irish Sea by Gordon Elliott's Bayan, Tony Martin's Pyromaniac and Arthur Moore's Sea Beat.
Plunge horse Activial is also among a final field of 19 for Saturday's feature handicap hurdle. A smart juvenile last season, Harry Fry's four-year-old has not been seen since slightly disappointing at Aintree in April but his price has more than halved since Monday.
Second favourite is Shelford, who will aim to give Dan Skelton, like Fry, a former assistant of Paul Nicholls, a second successive win in the race after Willow's Saviour last year.
Garde La Victoire, winner of the Greatwoood for Philip Hobbs, carries top weight and will be ridden by Tom O'Brien.
David Pipe's Balgarry has not been seen since the Cheltenham Festival of 2012 and will be joined by stablemate Swing Bowler.
Goodwood Mirage will aim to help Jonjo O'Neill emerge from a quiet spell, while Pine Creek represents John Ferguson and Cool Macavity runs for Nicky Henderson.
Foxcub, Gassin Golf, Baradari and Hello George are among the others declared.
