Drever Primed For World Showdown

Owner Graham Wylie expects Inglis Drever to go very close in his attempt to regain his Ladbrokes World Hurdle crown at Cheltenham today.

The eight-year-old, successful in this race in 2005, appears to have shrugged off niggling injury problems this season, having won on his reappearance before running a race full of promise to finish second to Blazing Bailey in the Cleeve Hurdle last time out.

'All has gone well in the build-up to the race and the horse is in really good order. He has done some nice pieces of work at home,' Wylie said.

'The ground today should be great for him and if it goes good that will be all the better. He's fine on most types of ground, but this should be perfect for him.'

Inglis Drever was conceding 8lb to Blazing Bailey in that Cleeve Hurdle defeat, but they reoppose on level weights this time and Wylie also believes jockey Paddy Brennan will be much more in tune with his mount.

'Now Paddy has ridden Inglis Drever in a race, he knows the horse. He got caught out a little bit the last day as he was surprised how quick the horse jumped and how quick he picked up when he asked him, which meant he probably got to the front a little bit too soon,' Wylie said.

'We know he handles the track and likes Cheltenham as he's been there and done it before. With a bit of luck, he'll run a big race today.'

Blazing Bailey's triumph in the Cleeve signalled his arrival on the staying hurdle scene and hopes are high he can confirm the form on the biggest stage of all.

'Everything has gone to plan with him since his last run ? very much so,' his trainer Alan King said.

'I don't think the ground will worry him at all as he goes on anything and it was decent ground last year when he ran well in the Triumph, so I'm fairly relaxed about it.'

The previously unbeaten Black Jack Ketchum was well beaten off in the Cleeve, but King remains wary of that rival.

'It's an open race this year, although if Black Jack was back to form I think he'd be very hard to beat,' King added.

'But I'm very happy with my horse and I'm really looking forward to running him.'

Locally-based trainer Jonjo O'Neill has always held Black Jack Ketchum, winner of last year's Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle, in the very highest regard.

The ground appears to be coming right for the eight-year-old now and punters have quickly taken note, supporting him back into favouritism earlier in the week.

O'Neill said: 'The race here at Cheltenham (Cleeve Hurdle) took a bit out of him and we were worried about the ground until things started to improve in that respect a few days ago.

'He's in grand order and his preparation has gone well. With a bit of luck this fine weather should continue until he runs.'

Improving mares Labelthou and United take their chance in the three-mile showpiece, although connections of both contenders are worried by the prospect of drying ground.

Emma Lavelle, trainer of the well-backed Labelthou, said: 'I don't have a worry that she'll handle the ground as I think she probably will.

'It's just more of a concern that the others will handle it too, whereas if it was soft she would have had the advantage.'

The Lucy Wadham-trained United comes into the race on the back of three impressive successes and has already scored in Grade One company.

But Wadham said: 'We are looking forward to the day out, but we are a bit disappointed the ground has dried out so quickly.

'She's in good form, though, and we'll be thrilled if she's in the first six.

'Mighty Man has got to have a great chance as he's very talented and obviously Inglis Drever must have a good chance too.'

Asian Maze misses the race after finishing a well-beaten seventh in the Champion Hurdle yesterday.

(C) PA Sport