The absence of Big Buck’s has left the World Hurdle wide open this year. Paul Nicholls was forced to abandon hopes of an astonishing fifth successive victory for his stable star due to injury and nothing has stood out as his natural successor.
The horse to have shown the best form in staying hurdles this season is Reve De Sivola who ran away with Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle by fourteen lengths. He then followed up by drawing the sting out of suspect stayer Oscar Whisky in a hard-fought battle up the Cheltenham hill in the Cleeve Hurdle. Both of those victories came on heavy ground, a surface that trainer Nick Williams maintains to be unsuitable for Reve De Sivola. It is unlikely to be as testing at the festival and it remains to be seen whether the eight-year-old will be able to repel his challengers on a faster surface.
Oscar Whisky is currently joint-favourite although connections have deliberated long and hard about his Cheltenham target. He went for the World Hurdle last season and first impressions were that his stamina had simply run out as he weakened back into fifth. However, trainer Nicky Henderson insists that he was not at his best that day and it is hard to blame lack of stamina for his neck defeat in heavy ground against Reve De Sivola. If the going is soft, Henderson could still switch him to the Champion Hurdle but it seems more likely that this race will be his destination. Assuming he does take part, he will probably be going best of all to two out but there still remains a nagging doubt about that Cheltenham hill.
Quevega has been mooted as a possible contender here but Willie Mullins has stressed that the Mare’s race is her main objective and it would be asking a lot to turn out twice at the festival meeting. Noel Meade’s Monksland put up a solid stayer’s performance when winning the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle from Zaidpour and So Young. He was under pressure from a long way out that day but stayed on relentlessly to finish well on top. That sort of resolve will stand him in good stead in the World Hurdle although connections will certainly be hoping that the going is on the soft side to bring his stamina into play.
With so many doubts about the leading candidates, Donald McCain’s former Neptune Hurdle winner and Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross must enter calculations. He was sent chasing after his fine second to Hurricane Fly in 2011 but a series of minor injuries and a loss of confidence in his fencing has resulted in him reverting to the smaller obstacles. A pipe-opener in a national hunt flat race at Kempton was followed by a less than impressive win at Musselburgh but opinions have been divided on the merit of that performance. McCain admitted that his first reaction was one of disappointment but jockey Jason Maguire was brimming with optimism after the race. The bare form reads as a relatively narrow win over rivals rated 30lbs inferior but his hurdling was quick and accurate and he may have simply been idling in front.
Nicholls had intended running Tidal Bay in this race but he has also succumbed to an injury leaving Wonderful Charm, Prospect Wells and Celestial Halo representing the Champion trainer. Wonderful Charm is the least exposed but has already been described as a chaser in the making. Bog Warrior and Solwhit, first and second at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, could also come into the reckoning in what is a wide open looking race.
Summary
This race could be one of the trickiest of the festival for punters to solve. Reve De Sivola and Oscar Whisky could well be major players and preference would be for the latter unless the going became really testing. Monksland would certainly have a leading chance if the ground came up heavy but, in anticipation of better ground, it may be worth taking a chance on Peddlers Cross. His trainer is convinced that he is as good as ever and he had enough stamina to win the 2m 5f novice hurdle here in 2010.
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