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El Fabiolo remains on course to take on Jonbon and Edwardstone in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham next Wednesday.
Last year's emphatic Arkle winner El Fabiolo headed eight horses confirmed for next Wednesday's Grade 1 Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old is a perfect seven from seven over fences and a general 4/9 shot to take his tally to eight. As expected, Nicky Henderson's Jonbon, who beat El Fabiolo over hurdles at Aintree back in 2022, stood his ground alongside the Alan King-trained Edwardstone, who bounced right back to form with a dominant front-running display in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last month.
Captain Guinness and recent Clarence House Chase winner Elixir De Nutx also feature amongst the eight confirmations, with Gentleman De Mee, Boothill, and Funambule Sivola completing the field at its current stage.
Elsewhere, on the card American Mike was supplemented to take on the odds-on favourite Fact To File in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the expense of £7,000. American Mike landed the Grade 2 Ten Up Novices' Chase at Navan in February and is a current 12/1 with Paddy Power to claim a first success at the top level.
No Ordinary Joe was as short as 8/1 for the Coral Cup on Wednesday but did not feature in the 47 confirmations. Another well-fancied contender Nurse Susan also failed to feature on the 47-strong list, while the two horses at the top of the weights, Thedevilscoachman and Hiddenvalley Lake were also absentees, resulting in a 5lb rise in the weights.
