Big Buck's heads World Hurdle 34

The mighty Big Buck's heads 34 entries for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The Stewart Family's phenomenal hurdler, bidding for a fourth consecutive victory in the race, is unbeaten in 14 starts over the smaller obstacles since contesting the Hennessy Gold Cup in November, 2008.

The French-bred nine-year-old looked as good as ever when sauntering to a comprehensive eight lengths success on his latest start in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on December 17.

His trainer Paul Nicholls is considering letting Big Buck's take his chance in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle over three miles on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on January 28.

If Big Buck's were to capture both races, he would equal the record for consecutive wins over jumps in Britain set by three-time Champion Hurdle winner Sir Ken, who recorded 16 straight victories in the 1950's.

Second favourite for the Thursday feature is the the Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old Oscar Whisky.

He has yet to race over three miles but boasts some excellent form over shorter distances, including a fine third in last year's Stan James Champion Hurdle and a facile success over an extended two and a half miles on his latest start at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

A total of 11 Irish-trained entries include eight possible runners from the stable of Willie Mullins, headed by dual Grade 1 winners Thousand Stars and Quevega, Mourad, So Young, Zaidpour and Mikael d'Haguenet, plus the Colm Murphy-trained Voler La Vedette, who has won her latest three starts impressively.

Restless Harry was ninth behind Big Buck's in last year's Ladbrokes World Hurdle but Robin Dickin's stable star posted an excellent performance when comprehensively winning a Grade 2 Hurdle at Wetherby in October.

The eight-year-old subsequently made the frame in two starts over fences before returning to hurdles to finish third behind Big Buck's at Ascot in December.

Dickin revealed: "The Ladbrokes World Hurdle is on the radar for Restless Harry and we will make a decision whether to keep him over hurdles or return to chasing in due course.

"He will probably be entered in the Cleeve Hurdle on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham and he could go for the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase on the same card. If he didn't run there, I might look at the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock instead.

"He never runs a bad race and his Wetherby run at the start of the season was astonishing. I am not quite sure what that was about so I am not sure how to recreate it - I would have thought that the run would have brought him on.

"Going chasing isn't off the agenda with him but the season is getting on and there are such huge prizes on offer with the long-distance hurdles. He got a little bit chopped coming round the top turn in last year's Ladbrokes World Hurdle and I think that he has improved slightly since then."