Defending champion Big Buck’s heads 35 entries for the Grade One Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 18th.

Big Buck’s is undefeated in six starts over hurdles after his trainer, Paul Nicholls, made the decision to switch from chasing. That came after Big Buck’s had unseated his rider at the final fence when still in contention for the Hennessy Gold Cup two years ago.

The move has clearly worked and it is interesting to see how many of the entries for the World Hurdle have form over fences.  Four years ago War Of Attrition hit the heights when he won the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup but since then a leg injury kept him off the track for nearly two years.

The 11-year-old has struggled to recapture his best form since his return but he achieved his most notable success at Gowran Park today in the Grade Two Alo Duffin Memorial Galmoy Hurdle. His trainer, Mouse Morris, opted to run War Of Attrition in cheekpieces for the first time and they seemed to work.

War Of Attrition jumped impeccably throughout for jockey Slippers Madden and had his rivals in trouble turning for home, finding plenty in the straight to beat Powerstation by four lengths.

When Tidal Bay won the Arkle Trophy in 2008 it was considered one of the best performances by a novice chaser seen at the Festival for many years but he has only won two of his next nine starts and his trainer, Howard Johnson, is considering a move back to hurdles with a possible run in the Grade Two Betfair Cleeve Hurdle, at Cheltenham on January 30th, as a route to the World Hurdle.

The Henry Daly-trained Mighty Man has a perfect record over fences – one-for-one, having coasted home in a three-runner race at Hereford last month. That was only the third time that Mighty Man had run since his career-threatening injury at Punchestown in April 2007, and no firm plans have been made. At his best he was a formidable player in the staying hurdle division having finished runner-up to Inglis Drever in the 2007 World Hurdle and winning the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in 2006.

Punchestowns was second to Big Buck’s in last year’s World Hurdle, but has since made an impressive transition to fences when winning a novice chase at Newbury in November. He is entered for a Grade Two chase at Haydock on Saturday but appears unlikely to run as his regular jockey, Barry Geraghty, has been booked to Diamond Harry, who would be making his chasing debut.

Cousin Vinny, the winner of the Grade One Weatherbys Champion Bumper two years ago, has failed to win in his two attempts over fences but there are a number of high-class entries among those who have stayed over hurdles. 

Katchit’s runs of late suggests that Alan King’s champion hurdler of 2008 is way off that level of form but stable companion Karabak has got closer than any horse to Big Buck’s this season when he finished three-and-a-half lengths second in the Long Walk Hurdle at Newbury last month.

The big improver in the list is Lie Forrit, who has won four of his last five starts rising 40lbs in the handicap ratings in the process and his trainer, Willie Amos, is also aiming for the Cleeve Hurdle as a preparatory run. 

Cape Tribulation has been entered by Malcolm Jefferson as an option to the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. Cape Tribulation finished second to Zaynar in the Grade Two Unicoin Homes Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham in December and then fourth to Go Native in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

“He is in the Hurdle as well as the World Hurdle, so we will run him in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday, all being well,” Jefferson said, “and then consider our options after that.”

Paul Wheeler