World Hurdle

Could be a tiny field.  If I was fortunate to have a 3m hurdler good enough to run at Cheltenham I'd make sure it was qualified for Pertemps Final. Avoid Big Bucks at all costs.  Good luck to Oscar Whisky.

Before you know it, there will be a Ryanair Hurdle.

makes perfect sense,big threat.

Howdi fair point, but I am talking about a chance of winning.  OW has a chance, but I doubt anything else has unless something unforseen happens.

7/4 w/out Big Bucks with Hills is a stonking bet!

Agree with that wellchief, good analysis.

As for targeting a good horse at the Pertemps???? Why would anyone touch that dog of a race with a bargepole? I'd take my chances in the Coral Cup (or even the Champion and watch my horse lose by a couple of furlongs!)

Murphy also admitted that he could be tempted to run Voler La Vedette at the Cheltenham Festival despite the reservations of her owner.

"Nothing has been written in stone with regard to the David Nicholson race but we will give her an entry and have a look at it. There are lots of options over here between Fairyhouse and Punchestown and we'll decide nearer the time."

This is from last week.  I always thought it was Colm Murphy who wasn't keen to bring her over, didn't realise it was the owner.  Sorry Nick, I suppose she could then come over for the Mares, but would still be a non runner in the WH (she is 25/1 on here for that, so that would indicate an unlikely runner)

I think OW will give BB a race tbh. And have backed accordingly NRNB mutha phuckers.

I have to say 7/1 Mourad without BB looks good to me. Very consistent and rarely unplaced, could capitalise on OW if his stamina gives out and if backed EW looks like a bet to nothing.

I am on 6/1 with BB Oscar for this world hdl! Am very happy with it as think i should be able to lay OW for full e/w stake in the place only market on the day! This race surely going to turn into the ultimate filthy e/way race and with the added insurance hopefully of the lay am happy!
As for small field, cannot see it, said this about last years and there was still loads of runners. Think there will still be about 20 runners this year, of course about 15 of them will be 33/1+ lol.

Thinking about it, I'd rather do So Young ew at 20/1, so effectively 5/1 to finish in the top 3, rather than ew w/out Big Bucks at 7/1 were it is effectively under 2/1 top 4.

Definitely all about the top 2 though.

Mourad on here at 46, that looks to big a price and can lay off come the day  around 10/1

Uncle, where is Oscar at 8s NRNB?

I still think he should run in the Champion and be close to favourite!

R Carver, he said No NRNB. Think 8/1 was with hills.

NH should know where he stands with the horse regarding Champ hurdle.  After all he has Grandouet, Spirit Son and Binocular. If he believes OW was better than these he would go for the Champ. Obviously he doesn't and as such will have a crack at Big Bucks.  If he stays could be a great race.

I'll just say "Punjabi".

I think it's more the case that the owner really wants a crack at Big Buck's (fair enough, it's his horse) and Hendo doens't have anything else to aim at the WH but has quite a strong group for the Champion. NJH clearly loves Spirit Son but he could be the hype horse of the season - what's this beast actually done on a raceocurse to deserve his current price in the market? Of the 4 Hendo hurdlers, a 6 l beating by Hurricane Fly (OW in the last Champion) is much the best piece of form in the book over the last year imo.

Well its all been said before really,its all about whether he stays well enough.March will tell us,nothing will tell us before then.
All i am bothered about is whether connections think hes worthy of running in the race when he would probably have a place chance in the CH.
By his entry that tells me they think he has a serious chance.
Whatever way you look at it,it certainly adds some spice and excitement to the race,no doubt.

Big Buck's will bid to make history in the Labrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March with a fourth successive victory in the contest.

Having beaten everything in his path on the way to an undefeated run of 14 straight victories over timber, the Nicky Henderson-trained Oscar Whisky has emerged as a potential pretender to his crown.

Owner Andy Stewart told sportinglife.com: "Oscar Whisky's owner Dai Walters has said why don't we split the prize money in the World Hurdle because I think I have the only horse that can beat Big Buck's.

"You never know what is going to beat Big Buck's - first of all you don't know whether Oscar Whisky will go for the Champion Hurdle as he has an option of going there if Hurricane Fly for one reason or another did not turn up.

"I assume Dai Walters will run him in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las and then we will see if he stays three miles at Cheltenham."

Big Buck's' last outing in Ascot's Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle before Christmas saw him claim another Grade 1 prize and although he ran out a supremely easy winner, the race was not wihout incident as David Pipe's Dynaste looked to have stolen an advantage after the third last.

"I suppose we all had a little bit of a jitter," Stewart added.

"It just slowed him up a little bit as David Pipe's horse was trying to get him beaten but as soon as he skipped over that one, he managed to do it well and Five Dream came second also for Paul Nicholls.

"It was the first time Big Buck's had raced right-handed and Ruby (Walsh) said he wanted to be reasonably careful coming round the final bend. But he soon got everything under control and I am delighted that was his 14th win."

Stewart has seen nothing this season to suggest that Big Buck's is not still at the peak of his powers while still enjoying every second of being involved with perhaps the greatest staying hurdler of all time.

"Big Buck's has turned nine now and is a stronger horse than last year - I am not sure whether he has improved but he has certainly not gone backwards.

"It is an absolute privilege owning the horse. Little kids come up and ask if they can have the autograph of "Mr Big Buck's". We obviously feel the pressure but it is an enjoyable thing when you have a horse as phenomenal as he is."

When is Thousand Stars gonna step up in trip this season if at all? I've backed him NRNB so not too worried if he goes for the CH but really thought he'd go for and have a great chance in the WH.