TRAINERS Willie Mullins, Gavin Cromwell and Tom Gibney have left horses in next Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

However, all three are relative outsiders in a race which has only been won once by an Irish-trained horse this century.

The possible Mullins representative is the eight-year-old Authorized Art, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Kerry National at Listowel in September.

Cromwell has engaged Final Orders, a winner on the flat and over hurdles in recent months but a disappointing fourth of five in a Chepstow chase last month.

Mr Saxobeat, trained by Tom Gibney, looks set to be one of the longshots in the field if allowed to take his chance, although he was running respectably at Cheltenham last month before an error at the second last fence brought him to a standstill and he was pulled up.

Current favourite for the Paddy Power is Stage Star, trained by Paul Nicholls. He won the Grade 1 Turners Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and is set to race off a mark of 155 on Saturday. He is well fancied to provide champion trainer Paul Nicholls with a third victory in this weekend’s feature handicap following the previous triumphs of Al Ferof (2012) and Caid Du Berlais (2014).

Another Grade 1 Festival winner, The Real Whacker, is second favourite. Trained by Paddy Neville, the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase winner will carry top weight of 12st if declared, racing off a mark of 162. When he won at Cheltenham, The Real Whacker defeated Gerri Colombe, winner of last Saturday's Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Trainer Richard Hobson is confident he has his stable star Fugitif “spot-on” for the race.

The eight-year-old may have only managed a solitary victory in testing conditions at Chepstow last season, but he did also finish second three times at Prestbury Park, including when chasing home Seddon at the Festival in March.

Fugitif will make his reappearance 22lb higher in the weights than when filling the runner-up spot at this meeting 12 months ago, but Hobson believes he is better than ever and did not feel it necessary to give him a prep run ahead of his latest bid for big-race glory.

He said: “Fugitif is in good shape. He’ll have his final bit of work tomorrow (Tuesday), he’ll have a pop (over fences) on Thursday and as long as that all goes smoothly we’re all set for Saturday.

“We decided we’d go straight there. I was thinking he was going to get there too soon fitness-wise, but actually he’ll just be spot-on.

“He ran lovely over two miles first time out last season and wouldn’t have been as fit as he is this time round, but he’s gone up a few pounds since then.”

On the prospect of potentially encountering testing conditions this weekend, Hobson added: “The wetter the better for him – you saw him at Chepstow last year. I think it’s just going to be nice, soft ground and that will be fine.

“He’s a strong horse and not far off 18 hands. He’s a weight carrier, he’s improved through the summer and he’s got a beautiful weight (11st 5lb) – I could nearly ride him myself!”

Dan Skelton will have high hopes for Unexpected Party who, unlike many of his major rivals, has the benefit of a recent run, having made an impressive return at Chepstow last month.

Laura Morgan’s pair of Notlongtillmay and Whistleinthedark, and the Sam Thomas-trained Angels Breath have also stood their ground.