Cue Card© Photo Healy Racing
Cue Card will face eight rivals when he defends his crown in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.
Colin Tizzard's stable star was beaten into fourth on his seasonal reappearance in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter at the start of the month, but he finished third in the same race a year ago before going on to success on Merseyside.
The eight-year-old will once again clash with last year's runner-up Dynaste and the third home, Silviniaco Conti.
David Pipe's Dynaste, winner of the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, makes his first appearance of the season.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Silviniaco Conti, who landed the 2012 Betfair Chase, is expected to strip fitter than 12 months ago having had a comeback run, albeit a slightly disappointing one, in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
Charlie Hall winner Menorah represents the bang-in-form combination of Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson and is reopposed by Jonjo O'Neill's Wetherby runner-up Taquin Du Seuil.
Wetherby third, fourth and seventh - Double Ross, Medermit and The Giant Bolster - have also been declared.
Kim Bailey's Harry Topper completes the field.
