ALTHOUGH STAYING HURDLE races can never claim to be definitive without the presence of Big Bucks, today’s World Series Hurdle deserves its place at the top of the billing.

Last year’s victor and recent Cheltenham scorer Quevega is the current odds-on favourite and heads the three Willie Mullins runners. Her class is undoubted; her seasonal debut at Prestbury Park saw the mare run ten-lengths clear of  Sparky May who placed in her subsequent Grade One outing at Aintree. The fact that her trainer was worried that he’d left her short of work at home makes her performance all the more impressive and she will likely improve on that today.

On the basis of his finish behind Big Bucks and Grand Crus the last day, stable mate Mourad may give the favourite the most to do. While he finished four-and-a-half lengths adrift in last year’s renewal, Katie Walsh’s mount is young enough at six to still be on the upgrade and doesn’t need to find too much improvement. The son Of Sinndar is a model of consistency and is yet to run a bad race over hurdles.

Voler La Vedette runs her last race before going to the paddocks and appeared in as good form as ever when taking a Group Two in Fairyhouse two weeks back. She’s arguably not quite up to this level, however, and is probably best overlooked for win purposes.

On the pick of their form most of the runners would lay claims to a place at least, notably Luska Lad and Rigour Back Bob. Had Mikael D’Hageneut contested this two years ago he would have went off as favourite, but such has been his regression this year that he commands a double-figure price. The return to the smaller obstacles should help but even so his last run was abysmal and difficult to ignore.

The Grade One Novice Chase over two miles is not as keenly contested as might have been expected, but two high-class horses in the form of Captain Chris and Realt Dubh re-oppose having finished first and third respectively in the Arkle.

Realt Dubh comes into the race fresh from his victory in the Powers Gold Cup and could turn the tables on his conqueror who seems to need a very strong gallop. Noel Meade’s horse does have some eight lengths to make up on that running, but this stiff two-miles off a moderate pace could suit him better than the favourite.

Nap of the Day

Coscorrig has the time of her life since switching to Dessie Hughes’ yard this year, and she may be able to continue her progress today in a race that isn’t packed full of improvers. She has a career high mark and top weight to contend with, but at 8/1 she’s the value pick to land the hat-trick of wins over the course and distance that she enjoys.

Each-Way

Considering Rigour Back Bob finished less than a length behind Mourad at Cheltenham, it’s a mystery as to why he can be backed today at over four times the price of that horse.

The gelding was finishing best of all up the hill that day, and given that the moderate pace won’t have suited and he met with trouble in running, there’s serious cause to believe that he can reverse placings today. If that run is replicated then the 18/1 currently available is huge.