Thistlecrack primed for World domination at Cheltenham

Trainer Colin Tizzard is in bullish mood ahead of Thistlecrack's bid to crown a tremendous campaign in the Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The imposing eight-year-old has been the undoubted star of the division this season, landing the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and the Long Walk at Ascot before completing his hat-trick in tremendous fashion in Cheltenham's Cleeve Hurdle in January.

He is the hot favourite to continue his dominance and clinch the stayers' crown and Tizzard expects his charge to be a tough nut to crack.

"When he was a young horse we could not work Thistlecrack very well as he would always be a bit stiff behind. But now he is at his peak - he has been absolutely brilliant for the last five runs and he could easily have won at Punchestown last season when he got stopped and made up eight lengths from the last," said the Dorset-based trainer.

"At the moment, when he races, there doesn't appear to be a bottom to him. He just powers away at the end.

"He looks better than anything else over three miles. I keep on thinking someone is going to bring back a very good chaser who will be really rampant on the day but they would need to be. Thistlecrack has worked beautifully and he looks like a chaser. He may be chasing next season."

Cole Harden reduced trainer Warren Greatrex to tears when victorious 12 months ago. The seven-year-old was third behind Thistlecrack on his Newbury comeback before finishing well beaten on his only other start this season in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year's Day, but Greatrex is expecting a much improved performance.

He said: "We're feeling good and the horse is good to go. The weather has been kind and I think you'll see a different horse on better ground. We've kept him to just the two runs when the ground wasn't suitable, so he's coming here fresh and ready to give it his best shot. He's probably a little bit forgotten. We have a plan and if we can get that right, whatever beats him will know they've had a race, that's for sure."

Paul Nicholls, trainer of the brilliant four-time World Hurdle hero Big Buck's, fires a twin assault, with last year's runner-up Saphir Du Rheu joined by Coral Cup-winning stablemate Aux Ptits Soins.

Saphir Du Rheu has something to prove after finishing a long way behind Thistlecrack at Ascot, while Aux Ptits Soins has not been seen in competitive action since his Festival triumph of last year.

"Saphir Du Rheu finished second in last year's World Hurdle and then he went chasing and won the Grade One at Aintree," said Nicholls.

"The idea was to go for the Hennessy this season and he won an intermediate chase at Carlisle. He ran OK in the Hennessy off 11st 12lb to finish fifth on very testing ground. He travelled well to two out and then didn't really finish. He did not run any race in the Long Walk just before Christmas and faded.

"We were always suspicious of his breathing and straight after Ascot he had a breathing operation - we cauterised his soft palate, which Silviniaco Conti had done after the King George, and that has helped him.

"His best runs last season were on decent ground so on better ground I think you will see him in a completely different light. He ran very well in last year's World Hurdle and obviously is a high-class horse.

"On good spring ground at Cheltenham, he and the horse who won it last year (Cole Harden) will be big players again. He is getting stronger and ultimately will go back chasing.

"Aux Ptits Soins is a very smart horse and is unbeaten over hurdles. It has been a nightmare training him this season as he had an infection in his foot, then a sinus problem which he had surgery for, and two lots of surgery on a tooth.

"So he had three lots of surgery before Christmas, which was not ideal. He had a month on a water treadmill back at his owner's place (John Hales). He came to us on January 1. Obviously, I would have liked to have run him so we are on the back foot a little bit but he is coming on nicely.

"He won the Coral Cup in effect first time up but it is a big ask to go on from winning a handicap off 139 to taking a Grade One. He will be chasing next season. He has got loads of pace and the trip must be a question mark, though all by his sire stay well. He looks fantastic."

Nicky Henderson runs Whisper and former Gold Cup hero Bobs Worth.

He said: "Whisper would have a good chance of getting placed. Thistlecrack will be very hard to beat, while Paul's two horses put together look a formidable team and I don't underestimate Cole Harden.

"Whisper, although he loves Aintree, ran well in this last year. He is in very good form and I've been saying he is a sensible each-way shot. This might well be the last run for Bobs Worth, we will see. He loves the place and is in really good shape. He will enjoy himself."

The Irish contingent is spearheaded by the Mouse Morris-trained Alpha Des Obeaux, who was in the process of giving Thistlecrack a run for his money when falling at Aintree last spring and claimed a deserved big-race win in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park in January.

Morris said: "He's in good fettle. We'll find out if he's good enough now. The favourite will be very hard to beat, but we'll take him on and see what happens. He's going to the start with a chance. He might not come back with one, but we'll see."

Alpha Des Obeaux is one of two runners for Gigginstown House Stud, with Lieutenant Colonel representing Sandra Hughes.

Other contenders include Charlie Longsdon's Kilcooley and last year's Albert Bartlett winner Martello Tower, trained by Mags Mullins.