Previous winner of the race, Smad Place, is among the entries for Newbury’s December showpiece

Another leading Irish trainer with five contenders is Gordon Elliott, while Noel Meade has three possible runners.

Major hopes for the home team include Mark Bradstock’s 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Coneygree and the Alan King-trained Smad Place, who won the race two years ago and proved he is no back number when making a successful reappearance in last Sunday’s Old Roan Chase at Aintree.