Champion Chase: Shishkin, Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi stand ground for Cheltenham Festival day two feature

Shishkin beat Energumene in an epic clash between the pair at Ascot's Clarence House Chase in January; Willie Mullins set to run both Energumene and stablemate Chacun Pour Soi; last year's winner Put The Kettle On among ten confirmed entries

Image: Last year's Arkle winner Shishkin is among 10 confirmed entries for the Champion Chase

Shishkin, Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi remain on course for a mouthwatering showdown in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The trio all feature in 10 confirmations for the two-mile showpiece at Cheltenham on Wednesday next week.

It will mean a rematch from the Clarence House Chase for Shishkin and Energumene - a race that will live long in the memory.

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The Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin will be bidding for a third Festival success, having already taken the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Arkle Trophy.

Like Energumene trained by Willie Mullins, Chacun Pour Soi has yet to win outside of Ireland but appeared back to his brilliant best at the Dublin Racing Festival.

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Image: Confirmed entries for the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival

Nube Negra (Dan Skelton) was runner-up to Henry de Bromhead's Put The Kettle On 12 months ago and will renew their rivalry. De Bromhead could also run Envoi Allen.

The Venetia Williams-trained Funambule Sivola is an interesting contender on the back of his victory in the Game Spirit Chase.

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Top trainers Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton, Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls each select their 'dark horse' for the Cheltenham Festival.

Gary Moore's Editeur Du Gite had to miss the Game Spirit after a late setback but does have two Cheltenham wins to his name this season.

Politologue is set for what could be the final outing of his career, as he looks to regain his crown from 2020, while Gordon Elliott's Battleoverdoyen completes the list.

Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor rematch remains on

Bravemansgame is one of 17 confirmations for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Paul Nicholls' seven-year-old has been extremely impressive over fences to date, winning all four races including the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton.

He heads a strong home team that also includes Lucinda Russell's Ahoy Senor, who beat Bravemansgame over hurdles at Aintree last season but had no answer to him when they met on Boxing Day.

Trainer Lucinda Russell is very excited to see Ahoy Senor take on Bravemansgame in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next week and prove himself as a 'champion'.

Either side of that, however, he had looked very good in Grade Two company at Newbury and Wetherby.

The Venetia Williams-trained L'Homme Presse is another who has improved enormously for the switch to fences, taking the Scilly Isles at Sandown last time out.

Willie Mullins has left in Galopin Des Champs but has stated he is leaning towards a clash with Bob Olinger in the Turners Novices' Chase over the shorter trip.

Among the remainder are Dusart, Beacon Edge, Capodanno, Imperial Alcazar and Threeunderthrufive.

Trainer Venetia Williams will leave it late to finalise L'Homme Presse's target at the Cheltenham Festival, while Fanion D'Estruval returns for the Ryanair Chase.

In the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle the potential field has been reduced to 18 - with Mullins responsible for 10 of them.

Among those are Sir Gerhard, Dysart Dynamo and Kilcruit, who are still engaged in the Supreme on the first day.

Ginto and Three Stripe Life could go for Gordon Elliott, while Journey With Me is Henry de Bromhead's sole possible.

Nicholls could have a good day on Wednesday with Stage Star set to run, the Grade One winner is unbeaten this season.

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