More Of That among 36 entries for Ladbrokes World Hurdle

More Of That and Annie Power, first and second in last year’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle, top 36 entries for this season's renewal on March 10.

The former surrendered his unbeaten record when third to Medinas in the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November and has subsequently undergone a wind operation.

Annie Power is one of eight entries for Willie Mullins but has not run this season after a setback in November. All of Mullins' other entries are also Grade One winners, including exciting five-year-old Abbyssial, 2013 Weatherbys Champion Bumper hero Briar Hill and dual French Champion Hurdle victor Thousand Stars.

The 17 Irish-trained entries also feature Lieutenant Colonel (Sandra Hughes), who doubled his Grade One tally for the season when taking the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 28.

The three-mile contest also saw an encouraging comeback in third from Monksland (Noel Meade), who had been off the track since landing the spoils in the same race two years previously.

Jessica Harrington has entered Christmas Hurdle second Jetson, who took the Grade One Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown in April, while Kitten Rock has won four of his six starts over hurdles for Edward O'Grady but has yet to race beyond two miles.

Zarkandar beat French star Gemix by five lengths in a Grade One at Auteuil in November and is one of two entries for Britain's champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls. The eight-year-old is joined by Saphir Du Rheu, who has failed to complete in two of his three starts in novice chases this season.

Rock On Ruby, winner of the 2012 Stan James Champion Hurdle, is set to step up to three miles for the first time after a pair of victories over two and a half miles at Cheltenham this season in the Grade Two Osborne House Relkeel Hurdle at the International in December and the Dornan Engineering Hurdle on New Year's Day.

Nicky Henderson has four contenders headed by Beat That, a dual Grade One-winning novice last year, and Whisper, who completed a spring double last season when taking the Coral Cup at The Festival and the Grade One Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

The Seven Barrows quartet is completed by Blue Fashion (14/1), who was second to Stan James Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen in the Grade Two Ascot Hurdle last time out, and Volnay De Thaix, second to Rock On Ruby in December.

One of the least exposed among the entries is the Sandy Thomson-trained Seeyouatmidnight. The seven-year-old racked up a three-timer in his debut campaign over hurdles last season, culminating with a gutsy victory in the Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock Park in February.

He rounded off last season with third to Beat That when sent off favourite for the Grade One Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree's Grand National festival in April, but has not run since.

Thomson, who trains at Duns in Berwickshire, reported: "Seeyouatmidnight has obviously had a few hold-ups but none of them were anything major. The most recent one was a splint problem, but we have given him plenty of time and we should be able to get him to the track in good order.

"The plan at the moment is to go to the Morebattle Hurdle (Kelso, February 12) or the Rendlesham Hurdle (February 14) and then go on to the World Hurdle.

"He is not a flashy work horse. He just works away, albeit quite nicely, and we knew when he won at Hexham that we might have something quite good. But, obviously, we didn't think he would go on to achieve what he did.

"He was probably over the top at Aintree. We did not get started with him until December last season and he never really got a break. I was absolutely delighted with the way he jumped and travelled that day but he just didn't go on as he had done in his previous races.

"The staying division looks quite open this year and it looks worth having a go at."