The November meeting – Eighteen declared for the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham

KYLEMORE LOUGH, the ante-post favourite for the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham's November meeting this weekend, will shoulder top-weight in a field of 18.

The eight-year-old will be having his first start for Harry Fry, having previously been with Kerry Lee, for whom he was fourth in the Grade One Melling Chase at Aintree on his final start last season.

There are two previous Cheltenham Festival winners among the competitive field, one of which is the Ian Williams-trained Ballyalton.

A winner at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival, he shaped well over hurdles on his first run for 18 months at Aintree last month.

Williams tweeted: "Ballyalton has pleased me with his work, schooling and well-being since Aintree and we know he loves Cheltenham."

Alan Fleming's Tully East won at the Cheltenham Festival last season and return to scene of his biggest triumph, whilst Jim Culloty's Lake Takapuna provides the other Irish hope in a race the Irish haven't trained the winner of since 2009.

Paul Nicholls had a plethora of entries but relies on just two horses - Le Prezien and Romain De Senam - as he seeks to land this prize for a third time in six years.

Nicky Henderson has had plenty of near misses in this contest in recent years and the Seven Barrows handler looks to Days Of Heaven and Theinval to end his 14 year drought.