Hurricane Fly is the defending champion (as well as winning it in 2011 and being third in 2012) and is 3/1 with the sponsors to defend his title at the age of 10.
His main rivals are considerably younger, in the form of The New One (six years old; 3/1), My Tent Or Yours (seven; 9/2) and Our Conor (five; 9/2).
Hurricane Fly is unbeaten in nine races since the Festival last March and has beaten Our Conor and Jezki (10/1) on a couple of occasions this season.
Willie Mullins’ eventual Festival plans for the unbeaten mare Annie Power (8/1) could well shake up the betting. She is entered in the Champion Hurdle but it seems likely that she will be kept apart from stablemate Hurricane Fly.
UPDATE: Willie Mullins told At The Races on Sunday 2 March that Annie Power will take on Big Buck's in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.
