Defending champion Al Boum Photo one of 12 to stand ground in Gold Cup

Last year’s Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo heads 12 confirmations for Friday’s highlight of the Cheltenham Festival.

Seen just once this season when winning at Tramore on New Year’s Day, Al Boum Photo is the 7-2 joint-favourite alongside Santini, who has also been left in the race at the six-day stage.

Al Boum Photo is one of three remaining in the Cheltenham Gold Cup for trainer Willie Mullins, who has left Kemboy and Real Steel in too, with seven of the 12 potential runners trained in Ireland. Delta Work, Presenting Percy, Chris’s Dream and Monalee complete the contingent.

Friday's Cheltenham entries

Despite losing former winner Native River for the season, trainer Colin Tizzard could still field two in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Lostintranslation and Elegant Escape engaged, while two-time King George VI Chase winner Clan Des Obeaux and Bristol De Mai complete the potential runners for next week’s contest.

Yellow Tiger has been supplemented, at a cost of £6,250, for the JCB Triumph Hurdle in which the big three of Solo, Allmankind and Goshen also standing their ground among the 19 left in the race.

The market leaders have also remained engaged in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle with Thyme Hill, Monkfish, Latest Exhibition and Harry Senior still all possibles.

Big fields remain in contention for the Randox Health County Hurdle, St James's Place Foxhunter Chase, Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle and the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase.

Read more about the Cheltenham Festival:

Lostintranslation feeling the heat and warming to Gold Cup mission

Photo opportunity: Gold Cup hero has final school at Navan before repeat bid

'It's going a bit too easily!' Santini Gold Cup prep so smooth says Henderson