World Hurdle odds

The World Hurdle betting has been dominated in recent years by the irrepressible Big Buck’s. However, the race is now one of the most competitive at the Cheltenham Festival. The reason for that is the injury sustained by Paul Nicholls’ star in December 2012, ruling him out of the following March’s race. One of the most famous hurdlers of recent times, the Andy Stewart-owned gelding won a remarkable 18 consecutive races between January 2009 and December 2012 before suffering an injury on the gallops. However, he is now back in training and Nicholls will be aiming to make some more history with the remarkable son of Cadoudal. Big Buck’s has won four World Hurdles  In 2012 Big Buck’s became the first horse to win four World Hurdles, however only two horses – Inglis Drever and Crimson Embers – have ever regained the crown. Similarly the 1986 winner Crimson Embers remains the sole 11-year-old winner of the race, so Big Buck’s looks to have a tough task and his rivals are snapping at his heels as the World Hurdle betting shows. Charles Byrne’s Solwhit won last year’s renewal, and seems to have relished the step up to three miles, whilst young pretenders like At Fishers Cross and Zarkandar are likely to show little reverence to the former winners. Three miles and 12 hurdles  The contest itself comprises of three miles and the jumping of 12 hurdles and is the feature race on Thursday, day three of the Cheltenham Festival. The World Hurdle is younger than some of the other championship contests, certainly in the race’s current guise; however it has gained status as the years have passed. Whilst the Champion Hurdle is a test of the quickest hurdlers, the World Hurdle brings stamina and technique together and has also been a punters’ paradise in recent times. All of the last 13 winners have started at 17/2 or shorter, whilst favourites have won four of the last six renewals. Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls have each won four World Hurdles  As mentioned, Big Buck’s is the most successful horse in the history of the race, and as a result his trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh have enjoyed the same amount of success. The World Hurdle has a tradition of horses winning on multiple occasions, with Inglis Drever and Baracouda joining Galmoy and Crimson Embers on that list. However one name that is absent from the list of winners is that of jockey AP McCoy. The eighteen-time Champion Jockey will be hoping that At Fishers Cross, on whom he won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on in 2013, will provide him with a memorable first success.