Aspire Tower leads 25 2020 Triumph Hurdle entries from Ireland for the Cheltenham Festival’s juveniles only Grade 1 contest on Gold Cup day, Friday, 13 March.
The four-year-old division has often been dominated by JP McManus in recent years, but Henry De Bromhead’s Flat recruit heads ante post betting with bookmakers.
Odds for Aspire Tower to win at Cheltenham will only shorten if he wins the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival in early February.
He turned the Grade 2 Knight Frank also run at Leopardstown over Christmas into a procession.
McManus has two Joseph O’Brien trained Triumph Hurdle entries in A Wave Of The Sea and Cerberus. Both will need to step up on previous events to hang with Aspire Tower on current form.
Gordon Elliott has five entered and Willie Mullins four. The home team’s Triumph Hurdle entries look strong against the Irish, however.
A total of 57 horses are engaged in the contest with just one French raider.
Gary Moore holds a strong hand, according to the betting, courtesy of Botox Has and Goshen.
The former has never been out of the first two in four career starts, while the latter is three from three over hurdles in minor events
The headstrong Allmankind won the other juvenile Grade 1 in the UK at Chepstow over Christmas. Trainer Dan Skelton has emphasised his horse only has one way of running.
Nicky Henderson has saddled a record seven Triumph Hurdle winners, but relies solely on Grand Roi in this renewal.
British champion trainer Paul Nicholls is no stranger to success in the race either. He has five Triumph Hurdle entries this year, including Solo and the McManus owned Mick Pastor.
Full 2020 Triumph Hurdle entries
- A Wave Of The Sea (Joseph O’Brien, IRE)
- Allmankind (Dan Skelton)
- Anna Bunina (John McConnell, IRE)
- Aspire Tower (Henry De Bromhead, IRE)
- Battle Of Wills (Gordon Elliott, IRE)
- Blame It On Sally (Alan King)
- Botox Has (Gary Moore)
- Burning Victory (Willie Mullins, IRE)
- Cerberus (Joseph O’Brien, IRE)
- Clemencia (Brendan Duke, IRE)
- Dehradun (Graeme McPherson)
- Earl of Harrow (Warren Greatrex)
- Echoes In Rain (Willie Mullins, IRE)
- Fantastic Ms Fox (Noel Williams)
- Fujimoto Flyer (Emmet Mullins, IRE)
- Ga Law (Jamie Snowden)
- Gabrielle Du Seuil (David Pipe)
- Galet d’Oudairies (Gordon Elliott, IRE)
- Gerolamo Cardano (DJ Jeffreys)
- Gjoumi (Willie Mullins, IRE)
- Goa Lil (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
- Goshen (Gary Moore)
- Grand Roi (Nicky Henderson)
- Guardia Top (Nigel Hawke)
- Guena Des Mottes (Ben Pauling)
- Hammersmith (James Nash, IRE)
- Hook Up (Willie Mullins, IRE)
- Leagan Gaeilge (Brendan Duke, IRE)
- Lord Lamington (Alan King)
- Manucci (Amanda Perrett)
- Metier (Harry Fry)
- Mick Pastor (Paul Nicholls)
- Midnights’ Gift (Alan King)
- Mind The Crack (Harry Fry)
- Navajo Pass (Donald McCain)
- Never Do Nothing (John McConnell, IRE)
- Oak Park (Gordon Elliott, IRE)
- Picture Poet (Henry Spiller)
- Questionare (Luke Comer, IRE)
- Ragnar (Philip Hobbs)
- Recent Revelations (Gordon Elliott, IRE)
- Red Gerry (Noel Meade, IRE)
- Repetitio (Nigel Hawke)
- Rockadenn (Julien Merienne, FR)
- Royal Dancer (Sylvester Kirk)
- Sacchoandvanzetti (John Queally, IRE)
- Sir Psycho (Paul Nicholls)
- Solo (Paul Nicholls)
- Stratagem (Paul Nicholls)
- Takarengo (Thomas Mullins, IRE)
- Tavus (Jedd O’Keeffe)
- Three Comets (Luke Comer, IRE)
- Thyme White (Paul Nicholls)
- Tremwedge (Alan King)
- Tronador (Gordon Elliott, IRE)
- Wolf Prince (Gavin Cromwell, IRE)
- Zeb Spirit (Olly Murphy)