The talented seven-year-old from the Paul Nicholls stable switched from fences to hurdles last year.

The move paid dividends and he has continued in the same way this season with two easy wins, both at Newbury to top the betting market.

He is the champion trainer's sole entry in the race on 18 March.

Last season's runner-up Punchestowns has been given an entry although he is expected to continue a career over fences shortly, while Diamond Harry, who proved no match for Big Buck's in last month's Long Walk Hurdle, is set to make his chasing debut at the weekend.

The progressive Lie Forrit holds an entry for Willie Amos, while former Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition is one of 12 Irish-trained possibles.

Howard Johnson won the World Hurdle three times with Inglis Drever and he has entered Tidal Bay this time while Cousin Vinny, Karabak, Katchit and Sentry Duty are other interesting contenders.

Form Horse Age Trainer

2P-4P15 BALLYFITZ 10 Nigel Twiston-Davies

1111-11 BIG BUCK'S (FR) 7 Paul Nicholls

11-302 BOUGGLER 5 Emma Lavelle

1155-24 CAPE TRIBULATION 6 Malcolm Jefferson

1U5-223 COUSIN VINNY (IRE) 7 Willie Mullins IRE

1113-13 DIAMOND HARRY 7 Nick Williams

r-435P1 EBADIYAN (IRE) 5 Oliver Brady IRE

211-16P ELZAHANN (IRE) 8 Ferdy Murphy

303-015 FAIR ALONG (GER) 8 Philip Hobbs

FIULIN 5 Evan Williams

140-2U1 GOLAN WAY 6 Sheena West

P2-205P GONE TO LUNCH (IRE) 10 Jeremy Scott

221123 JUMBO RIO (IRE) 5 Edward O'Grady IRE

1124-22 KARABAK (FR) 7 Alan King

3460-42 KATCHIT (IRE) 7 Alan King

P2-3634 KAYF ARAMIS 8 Nigel Twiston-Davies

211-U11 LIE FORRIT (IRE) 6 Willie Amos

00-452F LOUGH DERG (FR) 10 David Pipe

12235-3 MASSINI'S MAGUIRE (IRE) 9 Philip Hobbs

21P//52-1 MIGHTY MAN (FR) 10 Henry Daly

33-2422 MOURAD (IRE) 5 Willie Mullins IRE

146-113 MR THRILLER (FR) 5 David Pipe

25-5252 MUIRHEAD (IRE) 7 Noel Meade IRE

111-320 NINETIETH MINUTE (IRE) 7 Tom Taaffe IRE

1-21123 NOBLE PRINCE (GER) 6 Paul Nolan IRE

021F12 OSCAR DAN DAN (IRE) 8 Tom Mullins IRE

04-221U PETTIFOUR (IRE) 8 Nigel Twiston-Davies

630621 POWERSTATION (IRE) 10 Eamon O'Connell IRE

3/1122-1 PUNCHESTOWNS (FR) 7 Nicky Henderson

6 ROYAL AND REGAL (IRE) 6 Luke Comer IRE

0/1100-1 SENTRY DUTY (FR) 8 Nicky Henderson

2345-24 TIDAL BAY (IRE) 9 Howard Johnson

1101-01 TIME FOR RUPERT (IRE) 6 Paul Webber

1106-1 TORPHICHEN 5 Edward O'Grady IRE

2-P2304 WAR OF ATTRITION (IRE) 11 Mouse Morris IRE