Cue Card will face a maximum of six rivals when bidding for a second victory in Saturday's Betfair Ascot Chase.
Colin Tizzard's 11-year-old claimed this Grade One prize in 2013 on his way to landing the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
The popular veteran was a brilliant winner of his third Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, but proved no match for stable companion Thistlecrack when bidding for back-to-back victories in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.
Cue Card is set to come back in trip for this weekend's two-mile-five-furlong Grade One feature before a potential second tilt at Cheltenham Gold Cup glory.
Tizzard told Racing UK: "Cue Card is going to go. He's been a good old boy for us.
"He's ramping up the gallops this week, we'll give him a school, Paddy (Brennan) is coming down.
"Then it will be straight to Ascot and we'll see how he gets on there."
Perhaps the biggest threat to Cue Card on Saturday could be Jonjo O'Neill's Taquin Du Seuil. He won a big handicap at Cheltenham in December before seemingly failing to get home over three miles in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.
O'Neill has also left his charge in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock and plans are fluid.
He said: "He is in great order. I've put him in at Ascot and at Haydock over hurdles. I am not sure where he will go yet.
"He will probably go where the ground is softest, but we will see what both races look like.
"He is entered in everything at Cheltenham and there are no hard and fast plans which race he will end up in yet."
Rebecca Curtis has left in Irish Cavalier and Shantou Flyer, while Kylemore Lough could represent Kerry Lee.
The Philip Hobbs-trained Royal Regatta, who won the 1965 Chase over this course and distance, and Gary Moore's Traffic Fluide, who was a distant fourth behind Altior at Newbury on Saturday, complete the acceptors.
