Ante-post favourite Modus features among 51 horses going forward for the £155,000 Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 13 following the latest scratchings deadline.
The JP McManus-owned six-year-old, runner-up in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last year, has won two of his three starts over hurdles this season.
He is one of three possibles from the Paul Nicholls stable along with All Yours and Some Plan.
Karl Burke is eyeing the Betfair for Pearl Castle, who had a prep run on the Flat at Lingfield when he was a close fifth over two miles on the Polytrack.
"Pearl Castle is definitely under consideration for the Betfair Hurdle," said Burke.
"He will either go to Newbury or to the Musselburgh County Hurdle which is four or five days before. A lot will depend on the ground as he doesn't want it too soft.
"He is in good order and ran very well at Lingfield on Saturday. If the ground came up decent, I think we would probably look at going for the Betfair Hurdle because of the money on offer at Newbury.
"He is a horse with a lot of ability. He probably saves a bit for himself - he is by Montjeu and they can do that. The only run over hurdles he has had since joined us was at Musselburgh on New Year's Day behind a horse who is a big improver (Aristo Du Plessis).
"I think he can be competitive in a race like the Betfair Hurdle, although there are obviously some very good horses in there. He has a high cruising speed, stays well and 10st 9lb is a good sort of weight.
"He jumps well enough, but his jumping is probably something which might let him down in a big handicap with all the hustle and bustle.
"Before he joined us, he did hit a couple of hurdles which may have dented his confidence a bit, but he is a horse with plenty of ability when everything goes his way."
Following the defection of Peace And Co, the weights are now headed by Sempre Medici from Willie Mullins' stable.
Mullins is responsible for nine of 14 Irish-trained entries including Kalkir, who caught the eye when second to Henry Higgins in the valuable Coral.ie handicap hurdle at Leopardstown earlier this month.
Fellow Irish trainer Gordon Elliott has left in Desoto County, who was a staying-on third in that race.
Nicky Henderson could run Days Of Heaven and Cardinal Walter as he looks to win this prestigious prize for a sixth time.
Among others in the mix are the Philip Hobbs-trained trio of War Sound, Sternrubin and Cheltenian, who was runner-up 12 months ago and fourth in the 2014 renewal.
Alan King has entered Winner Massagot, well fancied for the Ladbroke at Ascot where he ran below par.
"He probably deserved his 13lb rise for winning before and he wouldn't have got in otherwise, but he was disappointing," King told Racing UK.
"We've given him a good break and I think ground is key to him, the better the ground the better he'll be.
"You'd have to say it's unlikely he'll run in the Betfair unless the weather changes dramatically so we'll probably end up keeping him back for the County Hurdle.
"He'll be a very exciting horse when he sees a fence next year."