Solwhit on track for the World

Charles Byrnes has confirmed Solwhit will take his chance in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

The seven-year-old has found Champion Hurdle-bound Hurricane Fly too strong on his last three racecourse appearances and as a result, Byrnes ruled him out of a tilt at that two-mile Grade One.

However, he has been successful at two and a half miles and Byrnes is now keen to see how he fares against the best in the staying division at three miles.

"It looks more likely now that he'll run. We gave him a break after his last run and he just started riding out again last week," Byrnes told At The Races.

"I think he's freshened up well and the plan is to run him in the World Hurdle.

"He's obviously going into the unknown by running over three miles, but it seemed the best option.

"We were thinking of waiting until Aintree but as long as he's all right between now and then, he'll go to Cheltenham."

Stan James reacted to the news by cutting Solwhit to 16-1 from 33s for the World Hurdle on March 17.