Ladbrokes World Hurdle Showdown Has Three Main Contenders

The Ladbrokes World Hurdle is a Grade 1 listed race and takes place on the Thursday of each Cheltenham Festival. It is a race for the stayers as it is the only hurdle race to be run over 3 miles. This year’s betting looks to be between the three main protagonists of Kasbah Bliss, Punchestowns and Big Bucks.

Last year’s runner up in the World Hurdle Kasbah Bliss looks set to be the favourite going into this year’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle following Inglis Drever’s retirement and he is currently available at 5/4 with several bookmakers. He has been in fine form this season and he showed his class by winning the Blue Square Hurdle at Haydock Park in February. He is a justifiable favourite and looks as though he will be the one to catch come the big race.

Punchestowns and Big Bucks appear to be the closest challengers of Kasbah Bliss in the. These two horses faced off earlier in the season when they appeared in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in January. On that occasion it was Big Bucks who triumphed but Punchestowns was a close second and he also looked in good shape. Big Bucks is currently priced at around 5/1 with Punchestowns slightly more favoured at 7/2.

So much of Punchestowns and Big Bucks challenge will rest on what the ground will be like on the day of the race. Punchestowns is a horse that very much likes good ground and he could be in with a real chance should he get his wish come race day. Big Bucks on the other hand is much more at home when the going is soft and will pose a serious threat if the ground is to his liking.

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