/ Editor / 28 February 2007 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Black Jack Ketchum has eased in the betting for the World Hurdle following a warning by trainer Jonjo O'Neill that he will not run at the Cheltenham Festival if the ground doesn't improve over the next two weeks.

After a very wet February the official going at the course is currently soft, and heavy in places - the sort of ground said to have been responsible for Black Jack Ketchum losing his unbeaten record in the Cleeve Hurdle at the track in late January.

"If the ground was like this, he wouldn't run," explained O'Neill. "We wouldn't punish him in bad ground.

"We would love to come to Cheltenham, but it is not the end of the world and there is always Aintree and Punchestown."

Black Jack Ketchum has been as low as 1.85 on the Betfair win market, but has now drifted out to 4.4 for the 3m feature, due to be contested on the third day of the Festival on March 15.