Last year's winner Faugheen is the star turn among 19 entries for the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The eight-year-old saw off stable companions Arctic Fire and Hurricane Fly to lead home a one-two-three for Willie Mullins in last year's renewal and the champion trainer again has a strong hand.
Faugheen suffered a shock defeat at the hands of stablemate Nichols Canyon on his seasonal reappearance in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, but bounced back to form to successfully defend his crown in Kempton's Christmas Hurdle.
Nichols Canyon has also won since, landing the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown, and the pair, along with Arctic Fire, are set to do battle in this weekend's Irish Champion Hurdle before heading to Prestbury Park in March.
Mullins has a fourth entry for the Champion Hurdle in Sempre Medici, while Henry de Bromhead's Identity Thief completes the potential Irish challenge.
Nicky Henderson has five possible runners, with last year's Triumph Hurdle winner Peace And Co, 2014 Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours, Sign Of A Victory, Top Notch and Hargam on the list.
Paul Nicholls has a couple of outsiders in Old Guard and All Yours, while The New One is set for a third Champion Hurdle, having finished third and fifth in the last two renewals for Nigel Twiston-Davies.
War Sound, Camping Ground, Parlour Games, Purple Bay, Mad Jack Mytton and Aristo Du Plessis complete the entries.