Gloria Victis, impressive winner of the Racing Post Chase at Kempton Park, heads the weights published today for the William Hill National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Martin Pipe's exciting six-year-old has been allotted 12st in the three-mile-one-furlong contest along with automatic top-weight the ex-French Pain Royal.
However, Gloria Victis holds entries in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Royal & SunAlliance Chase and following his spectacular victory last Saturday he was promoted to 6-1 co-second favourite with the sponsors for chasing's blue riband.
Sir Talbot was successful in last season's Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle under 10st but has been given top weight of 12st this time along with Irish raider Nomadic.
Majadou, who landed a gamble in the 1999 Mildmay Of Flete Chase, has been set to carry 12st in this year's race.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' stayer Moorish, without a win for 14 months, heads the weights for both the Ladbrokes Casinos Final and the Coral Cup and stablemate Beau shares top spot with Edmond and two automatic top-weights in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase.
Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite Flagship Uberalles has 12st in the Grand Annual Chase, a race in which his trainer Paul Nicholls also has Call Equiname (11st), Irbee (9st 11lb), Green Green Desert (9st 3lb) and Dines (9st).
The French entries Echo Des Mottes and Pickland share top weight with Flagship Uberalles in this two-mile contest.
Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's managing director, said: "This year's seven handicaps look particularly competitive and should prove thrilling spectacles."
Entries are made today for the four races yet to close at the Festival: the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup; Weatherbys Champion Bumper; Christie's Foxhunter Chase and Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase.
