Denman will face five rivals as he bids to win his first race since the 2009 Hennessy in the Bowl at Aintree on Thursday.
His second Hennessy victory was his only success since winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2008, but he has finished second in the last three Gold Cups to Kauto Star, Imperial Commander and Long Run respectively.
Paul Nicholls’ 11-year-old has only run once on Merseyside when he fell at the second-last in this race in 2009.
Following Nicky Henderson’s statement on Saturday that Long Run would miss the Bowl, the Seven Barrows stable are still strongly represented by Punchestowns and Carole’s Legacy.
This season has not really gone to plan for Punchestowns but he at least got back to winning ways last time out.
Carole’s Legacy was last seen going down narrowly to Bensalem at Cheltenham.
Tom George has plumped for the three-mile (4800m) event, rather than Friday’s two-and-a-half-mile (4000m) Melling Chase, for Nacarat.
The bold-jumping grey was third in the Bowl last year and third in the Melling 12 months previously.
Evan Williams faced the same choice of races for Deep Purple and has also decided on the longer assignment.
The field is completed by the Irish challenger Follow The Plan.
PA mfl/gm
