A look ahead to the World Hurdle

Jessica Harrington believes a resurgent Jetson deserves to take his chance in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The 10-year-old has been a bit of a surprise to his trainer since last season's Festival, when he was fifth in the Pertemps Final.

He lowered the colours of wonder mare Quevega in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown and was a worthy runner-up to Lieutenant Colonel in the Hatton's Grace and Christmas Hurdle in Ireland this winter.

"He was a bit of a revelation last year, he went and beat the great Quevega at Punchestown," said Harrington.

"I think the jockeys were looking at each other and forgot he was in front of them.

"I thought it probably was a bit of a fluke, but he's been second in two Grade Ones this year and I wish to god Lieutenant Colonel had stuck to jumping fences! That would have been a much nicer result.

"He'll go for the World Hurdle. I think it's fairly open and he loves Cheltenham.

"He stays well and at the age of 10, he's made the transition to Graded company, which is quite funny."

Paul Nicholls also believes it is anybody's World Hurdle this year and is happy with his two contenders, Zarkandar, who finished fourth last year, and Saphir Du Rheu, who successfully switched from fences in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.

"Zarkandar is in really good form," the Ditcheat handler told At The Races.

"He won the French Champion Hurdle then ran really well at Ascot.

"Saphir won the Cleeve, which is always a good trial, and is an improving horse. It's a very open race.

"We've trained Zarkandar particularly just for this race. We haven't run him all year to keep him fresh and he's in good form.

"I think both horses have got big chances."

Last year's hero More Of That is "very much odds against" running, according to his regular jockey Tony McCoy.

Jonjo O'Neill's seven-year-old defeated top Irish mare Annie Power in the race last season, when ridden by Barry Geraghty, but was comprehensively beaten upon his return to action at Newbury in November and has not run since.

The JP McManus-owned More Of That also bled after exercise last week to leave connections chasing the clock in order to prove his fitness for the Festival.

McCoy blogged on www.thejockeyclub.co.uk: "Sadly, More Of That bled in his work last week, which is hugely disappointing.

"Whether he gets back in the given time is very much odds against at the moment."

The 19-times champion jockey snubbed More Of That in preference for At Fishers Cross in last season's World Hurdle, but he could only finish third.

Rebecca Curtis' stayer has struggled this term, with McCoy distinctly nonplussed by his no-show at Haydock last Saturday.

He said: "At Fishers Cross ran deplorably bad at Haydock over the weekend - that is the only way of describing it - and he is long way off being a World Hurdle contender at the moment."