The reigning champion More Of That stars among 36 entries for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham. More Of That was an excellent winner of the three-mile race last year, getting the better of Annie Power (10/1 with Ladbrokes) by a length and a half, and is the 7/2 favourite with the sponsor to retain the crown.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained seven-year-old surrendered his unbeaten record when third to Medinas in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November and has subsequently undergone a wind operation.
Annie Power is one of eight entries for Willie Mullins but has not run this season after a setback in November. All of Mullins' other entries are also Grade 1 winners, including exciting five-year-old Abbyssial (40/1), 2013 Weatherbys Champion Bumper hero Briar Hill (14/1) and dual French Champion Hurdle victor Thousand Stars (33/1).
The 17 Irish-trained entries also feature Lieutenant Colonel (Sandra Hughes, 10/1), who doubled his Grade 1 tally for the season when taking the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 28th. The three-mile contest also saw an encouraging comeback in third from Monksland (Noel Meade, 16/1), who had been off the track since landing the spoils in the same race two years previously.
Jessica Harrington has entered Christmas Hurdle second Jetson (16/1), who took the Grade 1 Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown in April, while Kitten Rock (33/1) has won four of his six starts over hurdles for Edward O'Grady but has yet to race beyond two miles.
Zarkandar (10/1) beat French star Gemix by five lengths in a Grade 1 at Auteuil in November and is one of two entries for Paul Nicholls. The eight-year-old is joined by Saphir Du Rheu (16/1), who has failed to complete in two of his three starts in novice chases this season. Owner Andy Stewart has confirmed that Saphir Du Rheu is set to revert to hurdles at Cheltenham later this month in the hope that he can emulate the same connections' Big Buck's, who won the World Hurdle four times.
Rock On Ruby (Harry Fry, 12/1), winner of the 2012 Champion Hurdle, is expected to step up to three miles for the first time after a pair of victories over two and a half miles at Cheltenham this season in the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at the International in December and in a lesser race on New Year's Day.
Nicky Henderson has four contenders headed by Beat That (12/1), a dual Grade 1-winning novice last year, and Whisper (14/1), who completed a spring double last season when taking the Coral Cup at The Festival and the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree. The Seven Barrows quartet is completed by Blue Fashion (14/1), who was second to Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen in the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle last time out, and Volnay De Thaix (20/1), second to Rock On Ruby in December.
LADBROKES WORLD HURDLE
Class 1, Grade 1. £300,000. Thursday, March 12th. 3m.
Horse Age Owner Trainer
ABBYSSIAL (IRE) 5 Violet O'Leary Willie Mullins IRE
ANNIE POWER (IRE) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
AT FISHERS CROSS (IRE) 8 J P McManus Rebecca Curtis
AUBUSSON (FR) 6 Jane Williams Nick Williams
BACK IN FOCUS (IRE) 10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
BEAT THAT (IRE) 7 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
BIG EASY (GER) 8 Terry Warner Philip Hobbs
BLAKLION 6 Sarah Such & CG Paletta Nigel Twiston-Davies
BLUE FASHION (IRE) 6 John & Barbara Cotton Nicky Henderson
BOG WARRIOR (IRE) 11 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
BRIAR HILL (IRE) 7 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
COLE HARDEN (IRE) 6 Jill Eynon & Robin Eynon Warren Greatrex
DEDIGOUT (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
JETSON (IRE) 10 G McGrath/Mrs Moira McGrath Jessica Harrington IRE
KING OF THE PICTS (IRE) 6 Thistle Bloodstock Limited Pat Shanahan IRE
KITTEN ROCK (FR) 5 J P McManus Edward O'Grady IRE
KNOCKARA BEAU (IRE) 12 Alistair Charlton George Charlton
LIEUTENANT COLONEL 6 Gigginstown House Stud Sandra Hughes IRE
MONKSLAND (IRE) 8 Patricia Hunt Noel Meade IRE
MORE OF THAT (IRE) 7 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
OLOFI (FR) 9 McNeill Family Tom George
PONT ALEXANDRE (GER) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
REVE DE SIVOLA (FR) 10 Paul Duffy Diamond Partnership Nick Williams
RIGOUR BACK BOB (IRE) 10 D Chapman-Jones, J McIntyre, J Carroll Mark Bradstock
ROCK ON RUBY (IRE) 10 The Festival Goers Harry Fry
RULE THE WORLD 8 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE
SAPHIR DU RHEU (FR) 6 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls
SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT 7 Mrs A M Thomson Sandy Thomson
THOUSAND STARS (FR) 11 Hammer & Trowel Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
TIGER ROLL (IRE) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
UN ATOUT (FR) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
UN TEMPS POUR TOUT (IRE) 6 Professor Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew David Pipe
VOLNAY DE THAIX (FR) 6 Judy Wilson Nicky Henderson
WHISPER (FR) 7 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Nicky Henderson
ZAIDPOUR (FR) 9 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
ZARKANDAR (IRE) 8 Chris Giles & Potensis Bloodstock Ltd Paul Nicholls
36 entries. 17 Irish-trained
Ladbrokes bet: 7/2 More of That; 10/1 Annie Power, Lieutenant Colonel, Zarkandar; 12/1 Beat That, Rock On Ruby; 14/1 Blue Fashion, Briar Hill, Whisper; 16/1 Monksland, Jetson, Saphir Du Rheu; 20/1 Blaklion, Cole Harden, Reve De Sivola, Volnay de Thaix; 25/1 At Fishers Cross; 33/1 Aubusson, Back In Focus, Kitten Rock, Rule The World, Thousand Stars; 40/1 Abbyssial, Seeyouatmidnight, Tiger Roll, Un Atout, Un Temps Pour Tout; 50/1 Big Easy, Bog Warrior, Dedigout, Knockara Beau, Zaidpour; 100/1 King Of The Picts, Olofi Not Quoted: Pont Alexandre, Rigour Back Bob (E/W 1/4 odds 1-2-3).
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