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 Boxing 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 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.

Rebecca Curtis has left in Irish Cavalier and Shantou Flyer, while Kylemore Lough could represent Kerry Lee. The Philip Hobbs-trained Royal Regatta and Gary Moore’s Traffic Fluide complete the acceptors.