Black Jack Ketchum Heads 23 In Ascot´s BGC Long Walk Hurdle

Hurdling sensation Black Jack Ketchum is among 23 entries received for the #100,000 BGC Long Walk Hurdle, run over three miles and a furlong at Ascot on Saturday, December 16.

Jonjo O´Neill´s superstar, unbeaten in seven starts, could be joined by stablemate Fire Dragon in the Grade One hurdle, which often has a major bearing on the outcome of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Inglis Drever, who captured the Ladbrokes World Hurdle in 2005, made light of a year-long absence to capture a Grade Two race at Newbury last month. His trainer, Howard Johnson, also has 2005 Ballymore Properties Novices´ Hurdle victor No Refuge engaged.

Blazing Bailey could represent last year´s winning trainer, Alan King, while the Paul Nicholls-trained Neptune Collonges, runner-up to My Way De Solzen a year ago, may bid to go one better this year, despite a successful start to his British chasing career this season.

The French dominated this race between 2000 and 2004 with the great Baracouda, whose only defeat during that period came in 2002 when outgunned by Deano´s Beeno.

Allodial Land and Sphinx Du Berlais could run this year for French trainer Robert Collet, while Ireland has two possible runners in Celestial Wave and Bullhill Flyer, trained by Adrian Maguire and Sabrina Harty respectively.

Other interesting entries include useful staying hurdler/chaser Redemption, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, Nicky Richards´ lightly-raced nine-year-old Jazz D´Estruval, and the Henry Daly-trained Mighty Man, a good second to Hardy Eustace at Ascot in the Grade Two Coral Ascot Hurdle on his seasonal reappearance last month.

The BGC Long Walk Hurdle, which traditionally attracts the best long-distance hurdlers, returns to Ascot after being run at Chepstow and Windsor.

BGC also sponsors the three-mile BGC Silver Handicap Chase, worth #70,000, on December 16.