Star Heads Gold Cup Betting

Kauto Star, Paul Nicholls' stable star, heads a list of 49 entries for the totespsort Gold Cup.

The seven year old, who is unbeaten in four starts this season, over varying distances, including memorable performances in the Stan James King George and the William Hill Tingle Creek, heads the entries and remains the solid 6-4 favourite for the festival showpiece with bookmakers William Hill.

Last years gold cup hero War Of Attrition is one of fourteen Irish entries, a record the Gold Cup, and William Hill offer 6-4 that an Irish Trained horse wins this years race. The list also includes the classy John Durkan Memorial chase winner In Compliance and the 2005 John Smiths Grand National winner Hedgehunter, who finished second in the totesport sponsored contest last year.

Other entries that catch the eye include Lexus Chase winner The Listener and Hennessy winner, State Of Play, while Exotic Dancer, Monets Garden and Racing Demon are all entered but are likely to instead take their chances in the Ryanair Chase.

William Hill's Ben Clarke added: "Although down on last year's record number its another fantastic entry for the Cheltenham Blue Riband event. Obviously a lot of the focus and attention will be on Kauto Star, who heads every bookmaker's ante-post list, but there are many other top class horses entered and we face the prospect of one of the classiest Gold Cups for a very long time."

Ante-Post favourite Kauto Star is still 5-2 with William Hill to remain unbeaten this season.

Totesport Gold Cup (William Hill Bet): 6-4 Kauto Star, 9-2 War Of Attrition, 6-1 In Compliance, 12-1 The Listener, 14-1 Our Vic, State Of Play, 20-1 Exotic Dancer (Doubtful), Racing Demon (Doubtful), 25-1 Forget The Past, Halcon Generlardais (from 33), Hedgehunter, 33-1 Beef Or Salmon, L'Ami, Monets Garden (Doubtful), Monkerhostin, Neptune Collongues, 40-1 My Will, 50-1 Eurotrek, Our Ben, Take The Stand, 66-1 Billyvodden, Cornish Rebel, Kingscliff, Sleeping Night, 100-1 Back In Front, Bob Bob Bobbin, Cane Brake, Hi Cloy, Idle Talk, Ollie Magern, Patsy Hall, Sir Rembrandt, Turpin Green, 150-1 Ballycassidy, Crozan, Distant Thunder, Fundamentalist, Kill Devil Hill, Leading Man, Louping D'Ainay, Princess D'Ainay, Watson Lake, Yes Sir, 200-1 Church Island, Nil Desperandum, 500-1 Marble Garden, Jahash, Sybellius D'Artaix.

Irish Trained Winner: 6-4

Kauto Star To remain Unbeaten In 2006/07 Season: 5-2