Festival victory would rescue Cape from a season to forget

The Malton trainer has sent out just 11 winners – compared to the 30 successes that he recorded last year.

His Northallerton-born jockey has only fared slightly better with 14 victories after Waterloo Corner's welcome win at Sedgefield on Tuesday, a fraction of the 46 successes that Kinsella recorded three years ago when he was one of the country's top conditional riders.

They have not been helped by the weather. And, when they've needed a win to revive their flagging fortunes, they've seen their horses making last fence blunders – or just fail to get the nod in a photo-finish.

That will change, however, if stable star Cape Tribulation can beat the aptly-named Big Buck's in today's three-mile Ladbrokes World Hurdle – the feature race on day three of the National Hunt Festival and worth 260,000.

It's an uphill task, but the prize fund is enticing. Having reverted to hurdles after a final fence fall in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, Big Buck's has been a revelation for champion trainer Paul Nicholls and top Cheltenham jockey Ruby Walsh.

An impressive winner 12 months ago, he's one of the 'banker bets' of the week as he lines up against 14 rivals – including the 2005 Gold Cup winner War of Attrition, owned by Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, and the durable Fair Along who won the John Smith's Hurdle at Wetherby's Charlie Hall meeting last October.

Cape Tribulation's three runs this season have all been over two miles – and saw him placed behind the likes of Zaynar, Go Native and Medermit who were major players in Tuesday's Champion Hurdle.

Fifth in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle over three miles at last year's Festival, the horse's last victory came over this distance at Doncaster in January 2009.

"We're looking forward. There's no point looking back," said Jefferson who won the Pertemps Hurdle Final in 1994 with Tindari before landing the Bumper 12 months later with the supremely talented Dato Star.

"It's a good race and it will take a lot of winning. My worry would be if the ground dried up too much.

"We're just having one of those years when nothing falls into place. Lots of little things have gone against us – the odd mistake, photo-finish and so on.

"It would be great – wouldn't it? – if it all changed at Cheltenham. I certainly hope so."

Jockey Kinsella certainly concurs, believing a win at Cheltenham would turn the whole campaign around.

"I schooled him on Sunday and Monday, and gave him a good blow on Tuesday," he told the Yorkshire Post.

"He ran in the three-mile race last year and, if I'm honest, he travelled a bit too well and just didn't get up the hill.

"With that experience and knowledge, we can hopefully put it to good use.

"And, don't forget, he's been running really well this season against class horses – we'll just see if the return to three miles works."

Mouse Morris's 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition returns to the scene of his finest hour and, while he may not be the force of old, two successive victories over timber suggest he should not be dismissed.

"I couldn't be happier with him and he seems to have travelled over well, he seems to know he's back at Cheltenham," said Morris.

"He's getting on now and isn't as quick as he was so hopefully the ground isn't too quick, but we'll see what happens.

"He seems in great form and this is his last season before he retires, so we'll give it a go.

"If he could run into a place I'd be over the moon with him."

His big-race jockey Davy Russell is even more confident of a bold showing in ground conditions which he believes will suit.

"He is over-priced and people have lost a bit of respect for him," said Russell.

"He is dangerous here having won over all distances, over hurdles and fences. He is back to somewhere near his old self and I think he has a great chance.

"He is better on better ground and on a bigger day and he will hopefully show improved form in the conditions."

Howard Johnson certainly knows what it takes to win the World Hurdle having saddled Cheltenham legend Inglis Drever to a hat-trick of successes.

This year he is represented by 2008 Arkle Trophy hero Tidal Bay, but the Durham handler admits he does not measure up to his former stable companion.

"I had been thinking about putting Tidal Bay back over hurdles because he wasn't having a cut at his jumps. He was just backing off a bit," said Johnson. "I was pleased with the way he won the Cleeve Hurdle, he has a good record round Cheltenham.

"He's in good order and as long as the ground is good, he'll be fine.

"He's good but he's no Inglis Drever, you only get one like him and it was some achievement to win three World Hurdles.

"It would be good to win another one with Tidal Bay but as long as he comes back safe and well, that's the main thing."