World Hurdle preview

Trainer Nick Williams believes Thursday's Ladbrokes World Hurdle is far from a two-horse race.

With three-time winner Big Buck's sidelined by injury, the stayers' championship is an open affair this term, although Williams' Reve De Sivola and the Nicky Henderson-trained Oscar Whisky top the market.

The pair fought out a great finish to the Cleeve Hurdle on this course in January, with Reve De Sivola edging out Oscar Whisky by just a neck.

Williams' eight-year-old had only returned to action after a year off the previous month when chasing home Big Buck's at Newbury before landing the Long Walk at Ascot in impressive fashion.

Williams said: "It's a big, open race, it's certainly not a two-horse race, and the Festival has not been a lucky place for us so far.

"I don't worry too much about the opposition, I just want to get my horse there in one piece.

"I rushed him over fences, really because there aren't the options for the staying hurdlers if you are the third or fourth best and you want to win races. But with hindsight, I should have kept him over hurdles."

Richard Johnson has a 100% record on the eight-year-old so far having ridden him in his last two starts and his first ever Festival winner came in this race on Anzum in 1999.

"I was very lucky to pick up the ride on him just before Christmas and we've won the Long Walk and the Cleeve," he said.

"He looks like my best chance of the week."

Oscar Whisky was sent off second favourite behind Big Buck's 12 months ago but disappointed in fifth place.

Henderson is convinced Dai Walter's horse was not right that day, though he believes Oscar Whisky is better over slightly shorter.

"Two and a half is his optimum trip but he has to try to do this. We were going to miss Cheltenham altogether but the absence of Big Buck's has opened it up for everybody," he said.

"I don't think he was right last year, he was very distressed after the race and he wouldn't have won over two and a half, which was very odd.

"We're not worried about the ground, he's won on soft ground over two and a half, and I'm not so worried about stamina. Barry can be more aggressive this time, but I think it's a wide-open race."

Henderson also saddles Oscar Dara, who flopped in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las last time after a good win in the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton.

"Oscara Dara would have had top weight in the Coral Cup, but he was very impressive in the Lanzarote and technically he will be 4lb better off with Wonderful Charm," said the Seven Barrows handler.

Nicholls pins his hopes on Wonderful Charm and Celestial Halo, who carries the Big Buck's colours of the Stewart Family.

"Wonderful Charm had good form in France, we liked him at home, Ruby liked him when he rode him work the other day and we thought if you don't shoot, you don't win," said Nicholls.

"We don't know whether he'll stay because he's never been further than two and a half, but he's done everything right at home and it's a bit of a challenge.

"We think he'll run a big race, but whether he'll stay, we don't know. Because he haven't run him over the winter, we don't know what we've got."

Celestial Halo has been a regular at the Festivals, with his finest hour coming in the Triumph Hurdle in 2008.

"Celestial Halo was beaten a neck in a Champion Hurdle, won a Triumph and won over two and a half, but has never been further than that," said Nicholls.

"He picked up a leg injury at Cheltenham last year but he ran well at Wincanton and if he stays, he can run a good race as it's very open and there are lots of question marks over quite a lot of horses."

Peddlers Cross had Reve de Sivola back in second when winning the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle in 20010 and he was runner-up in the Champion Hurdle a year later.

He has back over hurdles after mixed fortunes over fences and his trainer Donald McCain is adamant the horse retains his ability.

"In both his races this season he's travelled like a very good horse and not done a lot off the bridle and that's a little bit his way. He can be quite switched off when he hits the front," said the Cholmondeley handler.

"Is he the same horse he was? His home work is the same and the rest we'll have to find out on the day.

"The signs at home are positive and Jason was very happy the last day, but there's only one place we'll find out if he's the horse he was."

Tony McCoy is hoping that better ground will help Get Me Out Of Here as he steps up to three miles for the first time.

"I would have given him a good each-way chance on good ground but he's run twice on heavy ground this year and run deplorably. He's very ground dependent," he said.