All Guns Blazing Ahead Of Festival

Alan King believes there is more to come from shock Cleeve Hurdle winner Blazing Bailey as the countdown continues to the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The five-year-old finished third behind Champion Hurdle favourite Detroit City in the Triumph Hurdle last year, but his victory over Inglis Drever and Black Jack Ketchum in last month's Byrne Bros-sponsored event marked him out as a major player for staying honours.

'I was entitled to hold this horse in high regard as he was third in the Triumph and second at Aintree over two and a half miles,' the Barbury Castle trainer told At The Races.

'We think he has progressed throughout the season ? whether he should have won the Long Walk I don't know, but he definitely should have been a lot closer.

'He has come out of the Cleeve in great form and he will go straight for the World Hurdle.

'It's a possibility that the others didn't handle the soft at Cheltenham, but I think this horse will handle good ground just as well.

'Aintree was good ground last year when he was second to Natal, so he is one horse that I am not concerned about the ground for.'

But he warned: 'Don't forget we were getting 8lb from Howard Johnson's horse (Inglis Drever) and we will be off level weights in March and no five-year-old has ever won the World Hurdle.

'I'm not saying he'll win, but he's going very well. Crystal D'Ainay finished third in the race at five behind Iris's Gift and Baracouda, though.'

Blazing Bailey is 8-1 with the sponsors for the World Hurdle on March 15.

(C) PA Sport