Kauto and Denman head 34 Gold Cup possibles

The eagerly-awaited clash between Paul Nicholls? two brilliant chasers, Denman and Kauto Star, in the 2008 TOTESPORT CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP moved one step closer today following the publication of the remaining forfeits for chasing?s Blue Riband event, which takes place on Friday, March 14.

The big two have failed to deter their opponents in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup with 34 entries remaining, five more than at the same stage in 2007. The 2006 winner Kicking King, 2007 runner-up Exotic Dancer, Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner The Listener and Letheby & Christopher Chase victor Knowhere are among other leading contenders.

Only eight horses have come out of the Gold Cup - Dom D?Orgeval, In Compliance, Madison Du Berlais, Mister Top Notch, Offshore Account, Our Vic, Strong Flow and Tamarinbleu, who remains in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase, although his trainer David Pipe has yet to finalise a target.

?Tamarinbleu will run in either the Queen Mother Chase or the Ryanair Chase. A decision will be made closer to the time but he?s in good form. They?re both going to be hot races,? said Pipe.

The SEASONS HOLIDAYS QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE on Wednesday, March 12, promises to be another race to savour with Master Minded and Voy Por Ustedes - who finished first and second in Saturday?s Game Spirit Chase at Newbury - among the 22 remaining in the two-mile contest as well as the likes of Twist Magic and five Irish-trained contenders including 2006 winner Newmill.

The RYANAIR CHASE is a Grade One event for the first time this year on Thursday, March 13, and it has a star-studded 41-strong entry remaining after the forfeit stage. Mossbank, owned by Ryanair CEO Michael O?Leary, would be an appropriate winner and he is one of 11 Irish-trained entries.

Other leading contenders include Letheby & Christopher Chase second Our Vic, Hobbs Hill, Jack The Giant, who has been taken out of the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, 2007 Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner My Way De Solzen, The Listener, Monet?s Garden, Don?t Push It and Paddy Power Gold Cup scorer L?Antartique. Master Minded looks certain to be aimed at the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase as he is one of 16 horses to have been taken out of the Ryanair Chase.

There are 29 remaining in the SMURFIT KAPPA CHAMPION HURDLE with 17 of those trained in Ireland, including the 2007 winner Sublimity and brilliant AIG Europe Champion Hurdle victor Sizing Europe. Osana, winner of the Grade Two Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December, adds further spice to the contest as does the runner-up that day, 2007 JCB Triumph Hurdle hero Katchit.

There are 33 entries remaining in the LADBROKES WORLD HURDLE, with the brilliant Inglis Drever set to start a red-hot favourite to land an event in which he was also successful in 2005 and 2007. The Jonjo O?Neill-trained Wichita Lineman, Blazing Bailey, winner of the Steel Plates and Sections Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 1, and dual Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace are among others engaged.