Philip Hobbs' Defi Du Seuil is among 59 Betfair Hurdle entries

Somerset-based handler Philip Hobbs has made two entries for the £155,000 race on February 10, headed by last season's G1 Triumph Hurdle victor Defi Du Seuil. His other is the mare Poppy Kay who landed a Listed contest at Sandown Park on January 6.

Local Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson boasts a record number of wins in the richest handicap hurdle in the British jumps calendar with five successes, most recently when saddling My Tent Or Yours to victory in 2013.

There are nine entries from his Seven Barrows yard in 2018, more than any other trainer, including joint-favourite Kayf Grace. A G2 bumper winner at Aintree in 2016, the eight-year-old mare won her only start last season but looked as good as ever when scoring at Kempton Park over Christmas.

Henderson's entries also include recent Sandown scorer Call Me Lord, last season's G1 Triumph Hurdle sixth Charli Parcs and Verdana Blue, who was third in a valuable G3 handicap hurdle at Ascot last month. Diese Des Bieffes looks a very useful novice, with easy victories at Taunton and Fontwell this season.

Other possible starters for the champion Jump trainer include William Henry, a talented novice last season, plus Charming Zen, Lough Derg Spirit and Jenkins.

The other 10/1 joint-favourite with the sponsors is Lalor (Richard Woollacott), a G2 bumper winner at Aintree in April who has been placed in some decent novices' hurdles so far this season.

A real Newbury specialist is High Bridge (Ben Pauling), who has won three times from as many starts at the Berkshire course.

The seven-year-old was last seen out when successful in the Listed Ladbrokes Intermediate Handicap Hurdle over the course and distance on December 2, having won two novices' hurdles at Newbury last season.

High Bridge races in the colours of Margaret Ferguson, mother of the horse's former trainer John Ferguson. For all his successes at Newbury, High Bridge has been partnered by John's son, amateur rider Alex Ferguson.

Pauling said: "The Betfair Hurdle is very much the aim for High Bridge.

"He has been very good since his win at Newbury last time out and the Betfair Hurdle has been the target since then. We purposely avoided Ascot (December 23) as we wanted to prepare him for Newbury.

"The horse seems in good order and hopefully will remain that way for the Betfair Hurdle. We will go straight to Newbury.

"He is unbeaten at Newbury and really seems to like it there. It wasn't our intention to make the running last time and he will be much better with a lead. I'd be confident of him getting that in the Betfair Hurdle.

"He seems to handle most types of ground and we should hopefully get a nice weight."

The Betfair Hurdle has gone to Ireland on three occasions, mostly recently via the Jessica Harrington-trained Spirit Leader in 2003.

There are 11 Irish-trained contenders this year, with seven entries from Willie Mullins and four from Gordon Elliott. Among the Mullins-trained septet is G1 winner Bleu Et Rouge and Lagostovegas, who was third on the Flat in the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket in the autumn, while Elliott's quartet includes Duca De Thaix, a G3 winner at Limerick over Christmas.

Paul Nicholls, who landed the 2012 Betfair Hurdle with Zarkandar, has four entries this year including dual G1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Irving, recent G1 Tolworth Hurdle third Mont Des Avaloirs and Cliffs Of Dover, who won six of his seven starts last season.

Nigel Twiston-Davies has taken the honours in the Betfair Hurdle twice in the last four years, scoring with Splash Of Ginge (2014) and more recently with Ballyandy (2017). His one entry in 2018 is El Terremoto, a winner at Stratford in October.

Gary Moore also has a fine Betfair Hurdle record, having enjoyed success with Heatchcote (2007), Wingman (2008) and Violet Dancer (2015). His two possible starters in 2018 are recent Fontwell winner Knocknanuss and French import Maquisard.

Other interesting contenders include Elgin (Alan King), successful in valuable handicap hurdles at Ascot and Cheltenham already this season, smart novice Kalashnikov (Amy Murphy), recent Ascot runner-up Silver Streak (Evan Williams) and Moon Racer (David Pipe), who landed the 2015 Champion Bumper but has been lightly-raced since. Lostintranslation (Colin Tizzard) was a good winner of a maiden hurdle over the course and distance on December 1 and looks a potentially unexposed contender.

Olly Murphy, who has made a great start to his training career, has an intriguing entry in Wishfull Dreaming, who has joined the Warwickshire-based handler from Philip Hobbs.

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