Wichita handed Haydock aim

Wichita Lineman will aim to consolidate his prominent position in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle market with a big performance at Haydock on Saturday.

Jonjo O’Neill’s seven-year-old chased home Blazing Bailey at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and will be stepping up to three miles for the first time this season in the realholidayreports.com Rendlesham Hurdle.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: “He’ll run up at Haydock and it’ll be nice to see him back.

“He’s been a little while without a run now, but he’s in good form and the ground should be nice up there for him so I’m hopeful he’ll run well.

“We’re very happy with him as he just needs a trip and he always comes home well at the end of his races.

“He’s in really good form and we’re looking forward to it.”

Wichita Lineman justified favouritism in novice company at the Cheltenham Festival last year, but Berry knows it will take something extra special to deny Inglis Drever a third World Hurdle this term.

“Of course he’s going to be a very hard horse to beat – he’s a really, really good horse,” he added.

Sponsors Ladbrokes make Inglis Drever their even-money favourite for the World Hurdle, with Wichita Lineman considered his biggest threat at 5s.