The Willie Mullins-trained Gaelic Warrior heads the early sponsors' market for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 11.
The valuable two-mile handicap has attracted a 45-strong entry, featuring three horses from the yard of Ireland's champion jumps trainer, and Gaelic Warrior is the one to have attracted most interest.
The now five-year-old was narrowly thwarted when a huge gamble for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Fred Winter) at last year's Cheltenham Festival and won a Tramore maiden by 86 lengths on his only start so far in the current campaign.
The son of Maxios remains a novice this term and is already as short as 7/1 for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Festival in March.
Mullins also has Icare Allen (JP McManus) and mare Gauloise (Kenny Alexander) entered at this stage, with the official weights not released until next Tuesday.
Others prominent in the antepost list are the Emmet Mullins-trained Filey Bay (also owned by McManus) who is on a hat-trick after wins at Doncaster and Wincanton before the turn of the year, and Greatwood Hurdle runner-up Gin Coco, who represents trainer Harry Fry.
Britain's champion trainer Paul Nicholls has entered six possible runners, including Hacker Des Places, Iceo and Timeforatune.
Nicky Henderson has won the Betfair Hurdle five times over the years and his potential trio this time around are First Street, Impulsive One and No Ordinary Joe.
Betfair spokesperson Barry Orr said: "It’s an exceptionally large and strong list of entries with the Willie Mullins-trained Gaelic Warrior quoted as 7/2 favourite in the opening show.
"Willie has some history in the race having been just touched off with the gambled-on Ciel De Neige in 2020.
"Paul Nicholls has Saturday's runner-up Iceo, who is 14/1, as is stablemate Rubaud, who has been mentioned favourably in recent Ditcheat dispatches.
"Throw in a couple of past winners in the shape of Soaring Glory and Glory And Fortune and it has all the ingredients for a vintage renewal."
The Betfair Hurdle - sponsor odds: 7/2 Gaelic Warrior, 6/1 Filey Bay, 6/1 Gin Coco, 8/1 Monviel,10/1 No Ordinary Joe, Icare Allen, Pikar, 12/1 Aucunrisque, Colonel Mustard, First Street, Hardy du Seuil, 14/1 Toothless, Gauloise, Iceo, Might I, Rubaud, 16/1 Teddy Blue, Marble Sands, Master Chewy, Mark of Gold, Lallygag, Highway One O Two, Glory And Fortune, Metier, A Different Kind, Timeforatune, 20/1 Yorksea, Anyharminasking, Fine Casting, Soaring Glory, L'Eau du Sud, 25/1 Petit Tonnerre, Tritonic, Nayati, Onemorefortheroad, Impulsive One, Faivoir, Restitution, 33/1 bar
(Each-Way 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
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