The race has produced some wonderful stories - not least Quevega becoming the only horse ever to win a festival race six times - but it has also led to some smart performers being diverted from the Champion
Hurdle, not discounting the fact Annie Power took the ultimate hurdling crown in 2016.
Buveur D'Air's colours were lowered by stablemate Verdana Blue - a useful tool when the emphasis is on speed - in the Christmas
Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, but he warmed up for his date with destiny - only five horses have won three Champion
Hurdles - with an effortless Contenders
Hurdle score at Sandown.
ASTHURIA IN the frame in her two
hurdle starts in France.
Having finished runner-up to More Of That in the 2014 World
Hurdle over three miles before suffering a well-publicised and heartbreaking final-flight exit with the two-and-a-half-mile Mares'
Hurdle at her mercy 12 months ago, the brilliant mare now gets a shot at the two-mile hurdling crown.
The progressive sevenyear-old is going for a fourtimer after a decisive victory in a competitive two and a half mile handicap
hurdle on soft going at Haydock Park's Betfair Chase Festival on November 22.
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Walters have had many sleepless nights over the Cheltenham target for the dual Aintree
Hurdle winner.
The Seven Barrows trainer remains convinced Dai Walters' classy performer will get that trip despite failing in the Ladbrokes World
Hurdle on his only previous attempt at last year's Festival.
The entries for the 2m championship event and also those for the former Stayer's
Hurdle, now the Ladbrokes World
Hurdle, were revealed yesterday with 35 high-class horses in both events.
2 Foot Lead: On the return trip, turn your back to the
hurdles and step back over each, maintaining the same leg position as in the knee lead (photo 1), but with the foot now leading over the
hurdle.
This prompts food manufacturers to use milder preservation techniques and could be stimulating the current trend to
hurdle technology.
The six-year-old has been restricted to just two runs over
hurdles, finishing fourth behind Istabraq in the Smurfit Champion
Hurdle at Cheltenham in March on the second occasion.
Financial managers use
hurdle rates to decide on expansion and modernization plans and investments.