The famous Cheltenham Gold Cup is Friday's feature race, and the world of jump racing is braced for a mouth-watering rematch between champion Denman and his Paul Nicholls stablemate Kauto Star, the 2007 winner.

Last year young pretender Denman got the better of the defending champion in impressive style and many people were predicting the beginning of an era of domination.

But he was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat late last summer which kept him off the track for 11 months.

He returned to action at Kempton in February but looked a shadow of the horse he was 12 months ago.

There are now serious questions as to whether he can reclaim his former glories at this year's Festival.

Kauto Star will benefit from the break after winning his third straight King George VI Chase on Boxing Day at Kempton while another Nicholls runner, Neptune Collonges, third last year, will also hope to improve.

The 2006 champion War of Attrition, the David Pipe-trained Madison du Berlais and Tony McCoy's mount Exotic Dancer are also challengers.