Wahiba Sands and Blowing Wind head the weights published today for the £100,000 Tote Gold Trophy Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday February 12th.
The duo, both set to carry 12st, are part of a 10-strong entry from champion trainer Martin Pipe, who won the race in 1997 with subsequent Champion Hurdle winner Make A Stand.
The Nicholashayne squad also includes Copeland (9-13) and Rodock (11-3), first and second respectively in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Sandown in December.
Mr Lamb (9-12), an impressive winner of his only start over hurdles at Cheltenham in October having been bought for 125,000 guineas, is another interesting entry from the Pipe team.
Nicky Henderson is another trainer with plenty of options in the race.
Among his nine possibles are Sharpical (11-1), winner of this prize in 1998, and Bacchanal (11-5), who carried Newbury director Lady Lloyd-Webber's colours to victory in the Skyhopper Helicopter Partnership Handicap Hurdle at Newbury in November.
Other notable entries from the Seven Barrows trainer are Blue Royal (11-2), an impressive winner at Ascot before Christmas and leading Ladbroke Hurdle fancy Geos (10-5).
There are seven Irish-trained entries for the Trophy, which has not fallen to an overseas raider since Irish Fashion scored in 1976.
They include owner J P McManus' Afarad (10-10), the Tony Martin-trained She's Our Mare (11-1) and Noel Meade's Native Dara (9-13) who are all set to take on Geos in the Ladbroke.
To add to the international flavour French trainer Francois Doumen has entered Grand Seigneur (10-4), favourite for the Elite Racing Club Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham after a 26-length win at Lingfield in December.
Newbury clerk of the course and managing director Mark Kershaw said: "The Tote Gold Trophy is one of the most sought-after prizes of the National Hunt season, with £100,000 in prize money, and we can look forward to another great renewal on February 12 when some of the best hurdlers around will be on show."
The sponsors have not yet opened a book on the race, for which 47 horses have been entered.
However, Coral have published their opening book on the race, making leading Ladbroke Hurdle fancy Afarad their 8-1 favourite.
Coral: 8-1 Afarad, 10-1 Blue Royal, Rodock, 12-1 Mr Lamb, Top Cees, Bacchanal, She's Our Mare, Copeland, 14-1 Grand Seigneur, 16-1 Crocadee, Geos, Sharpical, 20-1 Veridian, The Gatherer, Back On Top, Hit And Run, Native Dara, 25-1 Bar.
