The progressive Aitmatov from the all-conquering Noel Meade yard leads the challengers as he bids to follow up his recent Down Royal victory alongside stablemate Rosaker.

Macs Joy steps up to two and a half miles for the first time having mixed it with the best over the minimum distance for the past few seasons and he is one of three runners for Jessica Harrington.

Hide The Evidence, winner of the Royal Bond on the same card 12 months ago, and Studmaster will also represent the handler.

Willie Mullins will be double-handed with both Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Ebaziyan and fellow Grade One winner Glencove Marina taking their chances.

John Murphy's 2006 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Newmill completes the line-up.

Sweet Kiln made an outstanding seasonal debut with a nine-length win over Rosaker at Navan three weeks ago and trainer Michael Bowe believes the mare has a tremendous chance if she can reproduce that performance.

"If she goes there in the same form and in the same frame of mind she was in Navan then she'll take the world of beating," he said.

"She goes on good ground and if the ground does come up soft it would not inconvenience her as much as it would the other horses.

"It would be a dream come true if she could win it for us after Limestone Lad and Solerina, but at the end of the day, that means nothing to the horse.

"She's still got to go out there and do her job."

Barry Geraghty believes Macs Joy is the "forgotten" horse and must not be dismissed lightly as he bids to claw his way back to the big time.

"He ran in the Aintree Hurdle over this trip as a six-year-old and he was beaten five lengths by Al Eile so I'd have no concerns about the trip," said the jockey.

"He's had a run so he should be all the better for that.

"I worked him Wednesday and he is in good form so I'd be hoping that he will give a good account of himself.

"He's a bit of a forgotten horse, he had problems last year and we are hoping he can get back to his old form."