'He will return odds-on favourite' - Keith Melrose gives his take on the Cheltenham Festival entries

There are only 20 horses in the Gold Cup and, assuming all goes well with his off-screen preparations, Galopin Des Champs will return as the odds-on favourite on March 15.

He would be just the third odds-on shot in the Gold Cup this century, after Best Mate and Kauto Star. There is more in common between this division and what we became used to in Best Mate's day than many would like to admit. Admittedly, you could not keep a straight face while arguing the challengers now are no better than the borderline handicappers that filled the minor places back then.

When Kauto Star went off at odds-on for the second time, in 2010, he came into the race off a monstrous wide-margin win over Christmas. His rivals, although clearly talented, had amassed too many black marks for most punters' tastes. That framing chimes with who we see in this season's Gold Cup field.