By Frank Keogh
Last year's runner-up Hedgehunter and recent Ascot winner Monet's Garden will miss the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
They were the most notable absentees as 29 entries, headed by Kauto Star, remained in the 16 March race at the latest forfeit stage.
Hedgehunter's target will instead be the Grand National in April, as the BBC Sport website reported two weeks ago.
Kauto Star is racing's new star and 7-4 Gold Cup favourite, but he fell in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham last year.
Paul Nicholls' seven-year-old is unbeaten on all five starts this season, including a comfortable win in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.
606: HORSE RACING
But Kauto Star has a tendency to make jumping errors late on in his races, fuelling debate over whether the horse will manage a clear round at the demanding Cheltenham track.
Chief opposition appears to come in the shape of last year's winner War of Attrition, course specialist Exotic Dancer, Hennessy Gold Cup winner State of Play, plus In Compliance, The Listener and Our Vic.
Nicholls has decided not to run Becher Chase winner Eurotrek in the Gold Cup, and he will be another aimed at the National at Aintree.
Hi Cloy and Sir Rembrandt are others who will not be lining up for the Festival blue riband.
Supplementary entries for the 3m 2f contest can be made at a cost of £21,250 on 10 March.
Monet's Garden, runner-up to Voy Por Ustedes in the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006, looks likely to contest either the shorter Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase.
Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Friday 16 March
U20P5P BALLYCASSIDY (IRE) 11 Peter Bowen
2-21212 BEEF OR SALMON (IRE) 11 Michael Hourigan IRE
410U-51 BILLYVODDAN (IRE) 8 Henry Daly
112P-14 BOB BOB BOBBIN 8 Colin Tizzard
50P-211 CANE BRAKE 8 Tom Taaffe IRE
14PP-2P CROZAN 7 Nicky Henderson
1F-2112 EXOTIC DANCER 7 Jonjo O'Neill
331135- FORGET THE PAST 9 Michael O'Brien IRE
1115-11 HALCON GENELARDAIS 7 Alan King
1324-26 IDLE TALK 8 Tom George
1123-11 IN COMPLIANCE 7 Michael O'Brien IRE
1F-1111 KAUTO STAR 7 Paul Nicholls
1343-2P KILL DEVIL HILL 7 Paul Nolan IRE
1P20-46 KINGSCLIFF 10 Robert Alner
243-534 L'AMI 8 Francois Doumen FR
021536 MARBLE GARDEN 6 Richard Chotard FR
2643-34 MONKERHOSTIN 10 Philip Hobbs
34F3-13 MY WILL 7 Paul Nicholls
113-216 NEPTUNE COLLONGES 6 Paul Nicholls
240-3464 NIL DESPERANDUM (IRE) 10 Venetia Williams
1P101-12 OUR VIC (IRE) 9 David Pipe
110-U13F RACING DEMON (IRE) 7 Henrietta Knight
11151-1 STATE OF PLAY 7 Evan Williams
044002 SYBELLIUS D'ARTAIX (FR) 7 Richard Chotard FR
2U-16P0P TAKE THE STAND (IRE) 11 Peter Bowen
11FF-212 THE LISTENER (IRE) 8 Robert Alner
3252-1P2 TURPIN GREEN (IRE) 8 Nicky Richards
11-1223 WAR OF ATTRITION (IRE) 8 Mouse Morris IRE
1111155 YES SIR (IRE) 8 Peter Bowen