Teeton Mill heads the weights revealed today for the De Vere Gold Cup at Haydock Park on February 26th.
Venetia Williams' charge (12st), winner of the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton in 1998, has not seen a racecourse slipping a tendon off his off-hind hock in last season's Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The 11-year-old has been dropped 5lb in the ratings to 165 and handicapper Phil Smith has allotted the gelding 12st, rather than 11-10, to get more horses into the handicap.
If Teeton Mill misses the race Martell Grand National favourite Young Kenny (11-4), winner of this race last year when it was run as the Greenalls Grand National Trial, would carry top weight of 11-10.
Last year's runner-up Fiddling The Facts (10-9), third Him Of Praise (10-2) and fourth Forest Ivory (9-1) are also in the field.
This Grade Three contest was nominated as a possible target for Young Kenny following his victory in last weekend's Singer & Friedlander National Trial at Uttoxeter.
Edmond (10-3), Tullymurry Toff (10-8), Step On Eyre (9-8), Flaked Oats (9-1) and Earthmover (9-9), who chased home Peter Beaumont's stable star on Saturday, could reoppose at the Merseyside track.
Other notable names among the 42 entries are Young Kenny's stablemates Bobby Grant (11-2) and Niki Dee (10-3), Haydock specialist The Last Fling (10-9) and Willie Mullins' Grand National hope Micko's Dream (10-0), who runs in the Esat Digifone Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles tomorrow.
Haydock's racing manager Lisa Rowe said: "Three of the top four in the National betting could clash in the De Vere, reinforcing its position as the premier Aintree trial.
"It's a high-class and tremendously competitive entry which should make for a cracking race at the end of the month."
