The entry list is out for the 2011 Cheltenham World Hurdle and it includes a star-studded lineup of 46 names. The list is headed up by two-time winner Big Buck’s. The World Hurdle will run on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival on March 17th.

Big Buck’s will be looking to become the first horse ever to win three straight Cheltenham World Hurdles. The Paul Nicholls-trained 8-year-old won it in 2009 and 2010, and leads the odds to do it again. The only other horse to win three World Hurdles in a career is Inglis Drever. Big Buck’s is undefeated in 10 starts since switching to smaller obstacles. The switch came after he unseated his rider in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup. He bounced back by winning the Long Walk Hurdle at Newbury in December for the second straight year.

Nicholls’ biggest competition is Nicky Henderson, who has four entries in this horse race. His prize horse is Punchestowns, who finished as a runner-up in 2009 and has tallied multiple Grade One wins since then. The 8-year-old finished fifth at Newbury and is third in the betting for this hurdle. Another good entry from Henderson is Zaynar, who won the Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle in 2009. Oscar Whiskey is another Henderson entry with decent value. He won the Cheltenham and Three Counties Hurdle earlier this month.

With Henderson and Nicholls competing for the National Hunt Trainers’ Championshp, it’s easy to forget about the others. But, Willie Mullins has Fiveforthree running, who won the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle and 2008 Cheltenham World Hurdle. The Alan King-trained 8-year-old finished fourth last year.

Big Buck’s looks like the sure winner in this one but Saturday’s King George VI proved that anything can happen. The seemingly unbeatable Kauto Star finished behind Long Run and Riverside Theatre.

Cheltenham World Hurdle Outright Odds (provided by Eurobet)

Big Buck’s: 4/7

Quevega: 9/1

Punchestowns: 10/1

Grands Crus: 12/1

Mourad: 12/1

Oscar Whiskey: 12/1

Karabak: 14/1

Mikael D’Haguenet: 14/1

Khyber Kim: 16/1

Solwhit: 16/1

Zaynar: 16/1

Any Given Day: 20/1

Ashkazar: 20/1

Bensalem: 20/1

Fiveforthree: 20/1

Celestial Halo: 25/1

Organisateur: 25/1