Hat-trick-chasing Galopin Des Champs heads 19 entries for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, with just a record-low five British contenders for March’s blue riband event.

Willie Mullins’ nine-year-old has been imperious in winning the Gold Cup for the past two years and after routing his rivals at Leopardstown over Christmas, is a short-priced favourite to replicate the great Best Mate and land three straight Gold Cups.

His chief market rival appears to be stablemate Fact To File, who lowered Galopin Des Champs colours in the John Durkan before seeing the tables turned in the Savills Chase.

He is, however, also among the leading contenders for the shorter Ryanair Chase after 34 put their name in the mix for that particular contest on Tuesday morning.

King George one-two Banbridge and Il Est Francais both feature in the Gold Cup entries, while at the same time also holding tickets for both the Ryanair and Champion Chase, with Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe and Henry de Bromhead’s Monty’s Star are other notable names for Cheltenham’s main event.

The five tasked with upholding British pride are Dan Skelton’s returning Festival hero Grey Dawning, Venetia Williams’ pair of Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille and L’Homme Presse, King George fourth The Real Whacker (Patrick Neville) and Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor.

A surprise omission from the Gold Cup entries is Jimmy Mangan’s beaten King George favourite and John Durkan runner-up Spillane’s Tower, who has a sole entry in the Ryanair Chase.

The JP McManus-owned Jonbon heads the betting for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after 26 were entered.

Amongst his potential rivals is a strong Closutton hand featuring two-time winner Energumene, last year’s Arkle champion Gaelic Warrior and the beaten favourite in the race 12 months ago in the shape of El Fabiolo.

£625,000 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) 3m 2f 70y

4.00pm, Friday 14th March

Ahoy Senor (IRE) 10 Wymer & Russell Lucinda Russell

Banbridge (IRE) 9 Mr R. A. Bartlett Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland

Conflated (IRE) 11 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Corbetts Cross (IRE) 8 Mr John P. McManus Emmet Mullins Ireland

Embassy Gardens 9 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan W. P. Mullins Ireland

Fact To File (FR) 8 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

Galopin des Champs (FR) 9 Mrs Audrey Turley W. P. Mullins Ireland

Gentlemansgame 9 Robcour M. F. Morris Ireland

Gerri Colombe (FR) 9 Robcour Gordon Elliott Ireland

Grangeclare West (IRE) 9 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Grey Dawning (IRE) 8 Mr Robert Kirkland Dan Skelton

Hewick (IRE) 10 Mr T. J. McDonald Tara Lee Cogan Ireland

Il Est Francais (FR) 7 Kelvin-Hughes & Haras De St Voir N. George & A. Zetterholm France

Jungle Boogie (IRE) 11 Mr Malcolm C. Denmark Henry de Bromhead Ireland

L'homme Presse (FR) 10 Dfa Racing (Pink,Edwards & Sharman) Venetia Williams

Minella Cocooner (IRE) 9 Mr David Bobbett W. P. Mullins Ireland

Monty's Star (IRE) 8 Mr Barry Maloney Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Royale Pagaille (FR) 11 Mrs S. Ricci Venetia Williams

The Real Whacker (IRE) 9 Neville, Mann, Duffus, Dennis-Price Patrick Neville

19 entries

13 Irish-trained

1 French-trained

£400,000 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 199y

4.00pm, Wednesday 12th March

American Mike (IRE) 8 11 10 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Banbridge (IRE) 9 11 10 Mr R. A. Bartlett Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland

Blood Destiny (FR) 6 11 10 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Blue Lord (FR) 10 11 10 Mr Simon Munir-Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Boothill (IRE) 10 11 10 Brian & Sandy Lambert Harry Fry

Captain Guinness (IRE) 10 11 10 Declan Landy Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Djelo (FR) 7 11 10 Mr P. Davies Venetia Williams

Edwardstone 11 11 10 Robert Abrey & Ian Thurtle Alan King

El Fabiolo (FR) 8 11 10 Mr Simon Munir-Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Energumene (FR) 11 11 10 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland

Found A Fifty (IRE) 8 11 10 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Gaelic Warrior (GER) 7 11 10 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Gentleman de Mee (FR) 9 11 10 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

Il Est Francais (FR) 7 11 10 Kelvin-Hughes & Haras De St Voir N. George & A. Zetterholm France

Jonbon (FR) 9 11 10 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson

JPR One (IRE) 8 11 10 Mr J. P. Romans Joe Tizzard

Jungle Boogie (IRE) 11 11 10 Mr Malcolm C. Denmark Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Kalif du Berlais (FR) 5 11 10 Ferguson, Mason, Hales, Done & Hogarth Paul Nicholls

Libberty Hunter 9 11 10 Mr & Mrs William Rucker Evan Williams

Marine Nationale (IRE) 8 11 10 Mr Barry Connell Barry Connell Ireland

Martator (FR) 8 11 10 Camilla Norton Venetia Williams

Master Chewy (IRE) 8 11 10 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel Twiston-Davies

Matata (IRE) 7 11 10 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies

Quilixios 8 11 10 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Senecia (IRE) 8 11 10 Mr L. Halley Vincent Halley Ireland

Solness (FR) 7 11 10 Bronsan Racing Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland

26 entries

15 Irish-trained

1 French-trained

Latest BetMGM odds

Jonbon - 9/4

Gaelic Warrior - 7/2

Energumene - 5/1

El Fabiolo - 10/1

Il Est Francais - 12/1

Marine Nationale - 16/1

Solness - 25/1

Banbridge - 33/1

BAR - 40/1

£375,000 Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4f 127y

3.20pm, Thursday 13th March

Ahoy Senor (IRE) 10 11 10 Wymer & Russell Lucinda Russell

Banbridge (IRE) 9 11 10 Mr R. A. Bartlett Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland

Blood Destiny (FR) 6 11 10 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Blue Lord (FR) 10 11 10 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Conflated (IRE) 11 11 10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Djelo (FR) 7 11 10 Mr P. Davies Venetia Williams

El Fabiolo (FR) 8 11 10 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Embassy Gardens 9 11 10 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan W. P. Mullins Ireland

Energumene (FR) 11 11 10 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland

Envoi Allen (FR) 11 11 10 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Fact To File (FR) 8 11 10 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

Fil Dor (FR) 7 11 10 Robcour Gordon Elliott Ireland

Found A Fifty (IRE) 8 11 10 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Gaelic Warrior (GER) 7 11 10 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ga Law (FR) 9 11 10 The Footie Partnership Jamie Snowden

Gentleman de Mee (FR) 9 11 10 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ginny's Destiny (IRE) 9 11 10 Gordon & Su Hall Paul Nicholls

Grangeclare West (IRE) 9 11 10 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Grey Dawning (IRE) 8 11 10 Mr Robert Kirkland Dan Skelton

Hang In There (IRE) 11 11 10 Tim Syder & Andrew Gemmell Emma Lavelle

Heart Wood (FR) 7 11 10 Robcour Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Hitman (FR) 9 11 10 Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson & Done Paul Nicholls

Il Est Francais (FR) 7 11 10 Kelvin-Hughes & Haras De St Voir N. George & A. Zetterholm France

Il Ridoto (FR) 8 11 10 Giles, Hogarth, Mason, McGoff & Ferguson Paul Nicholls

Journey With Me (IRE) 9 11 10 Robcour Henry de Bromhead Ireland

JPR One (IRE) 8 11 10 Mr J. P. Romans Joe Tizzard

Jungle Boogie (IRE) 11 11 10 Mr Malcolm C. Denmark Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Le Patron (FR) 7 11 10 Mrs E. Avery Gary & Josh Moore

Martator (FR) 8 11 10 Camilla Norton Venetia Williams

Master Chewy (IRE) 8 11 10 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel Twiston-Davies

Protektorat (FR) 10 11 10 Sir A Ferguson G Mason J Hales & L Hales Dan Skelton

Spillane's Tower (IRE) 7 11 10 Mr John P. McManus James Joseph Mangan Ireland

Springwell Bay 8 11 10 Mrs Gay Smith Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill

Stage Star (IRE) 9 11 10 Owners Group 044 Paul Nicholls

34 entries

18 Irish-trained

1 French-trained