Gm Hopkins is challenging Mange All for favouritism for the Betway Lincoln after the draw was made for Saturday's race at Doncaster.
Mange All, trained by William Haggas, will break from stall seven in the Town Moor feature, while John Gosden's Gm Hopkins starts from stall 21.
Dual Cambridgeshire winner Bronze Angel tops the weights in a maximum field of 22.
Marcus Tregoning's charge will have to defy the welter burden of 9st 11lb if he is to claim the first leg of the spring double.
Ocean Tempest, the 20-1 winner for John Ryan 12 months ago, will try to become the first horse since Babur 57 years ago to land back-to-back Lincoln victories over the straight mile.
Withdrawals from connections of horses that were guaranteed a place were Stuccodor, Empire Storm, Boomshackerlacker, Penitent and Red Avenger.
The horses who narrowly missed a spot in the main event have the consolation of going for the Betway Spring Mile earlier on the card.
The draw was conducted live on At The Races by trainer and former England international Mick Channon and West Ham striker Andy Carroll.
Channon was happy with stall nine handed to his runner, the aptly-named Lincoln.
"We don't know what the weather is going to do the next two days," said the West Ilsley handler.
"Normally you want middle to high when the ground is good, when it's soft you probably want low.
"We're probably where you'd want to be - in the middle and we can go either way."
Moohaarib was the first horse drawn out and will race from stall 19, he was followed out by Bronze Angel (14).
Gabrial's Kaka was handed the highest draw in 22, with owner Dr Marwan Koukash's other hopeful, Gabrial, coming from stall 15.
Trainer George Baker's two runners came out after each other, with Jack's Revenge and Belgian Bill drawing 17 and two respectively.
Ocean Tempest will race from stall 10, having won from number three last year.
Zarwaan is housed in stall 18 and What About Carlo races from stall 12.
