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World Hurdle Preview: Big Buck’s worth every penny

We take a look at the runners and riders in the third day’s feature race, the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

When: Today, 3:20

Distance: 3m

Prize Money: £148,000 (winner)

Who won in 2010: Big Buck’s (5/6F)

Latest Odds: Evens Big Buck’s; 11/4 Grands Crus; 9/1 Mourad; 11/1 Fiveforthree; 18/1 Zaynar; 33/1 Bar

Never before has a horse won three consecutive World Hurdles. Not Baracouda. Not even the best stayer of recent years, the brilliant Inglis Drever. So why do people fancy Paul Nicholls’ Big Buck’s to make a little bit of horse-racing history when he goes to post later on today?

There are a number reasons, not least the fact that he has been so incredibly impressive on each of his outings since being switched back to hurdles in early 2009, posting a remarkable ten-race unbeaten streak which he will hope to further extend this afternoon. Age is on his side (he is only eight-years-old), he loves the good ground, and he has never been anything but comfortable over the three-mile trip. Not many stayers have been rated at a lofty 174 – Inglis Drever was two pounds lower when winning his third title here here in 2008.

If you’re looking for reasons to not to back Big Buck’s, there a few points of minor concern. Without branding him lazy, he seems to be slightly difficult to get off the bridle at times and seems to do just about enough to win races. He also hasn’t really been tested so far this season. In both of his seasonal outings at Newbury, his nearest competitors were rated 34 and 20 pounds lower than him respectively. Some will point out that he hasn’t run since Christmas, but this season’s preparation mirrors last year’s exactly and we all remember what happened there.

There are a number of interesting competitors in the field should the champion not be at his best, not least the young pretender Grands Crus from David Pipe’s yard. He has already had three convincing victories this season, in two pre-Christmas handicaps before winning over course and distance in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at the end of January. There are a few question marks however, not least the fact that he has never raced in Grade 1 company, let alone won. The ever-quickening ground will also be a bit of a worry as will the fact that David Pipe is yet to get off the mark at the festival this week.

As always the Irish are well represented with both of the country’s principal challengers supplied by Willie Mullins. Mullins has never won a World Hurdle, but having broken his Champion Hurdle duck earlier in the week, it would be a brave man who would rule him out on that ground. Of the two, Mourad perhaps has the strongest claims. He has already proved that he gets the trip on two occasions this year with victories in Grade 2 contests at Leopardstown and Gowran. Both of those races were on much boggier ground, though Mullins appears confident that the firmer surface will be to his advantage rather than to his detriment.

Mullins’ other contender Fiveforthree is a former festival winner having won the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle three years ago. Injury has meant that he has only raced once since April 2009, however, and though he won over two miles at Punchestown last month, this is likely to be a step too far for him.

Of the others, Cross Kennon, Restless Harry and Zaynar perhaps have the best chances though it is very difficult to look outside the top three in the betting.

TheScore says: There is very little we have seen to convince us that Big Buck’s won’t make a little bit of history here today. Mourad and Grands Crus are the only real competition and these three will almost certainly make up the places.

Read more of TheScore.ie’s coverage of the Cheltenham Festival here >