The race sponsors go 5-2 about the pair, while they are on offer at 9-4 with Ladbrokes and William Hill.

Rooster Booster came unstuck in this race last year when they went a very slow pace early on and he could finish only fifth behind Rigmarole after it turned into a sprint from the second-last.

That experience, and the fact that there is no guarantee of a fast pace, has prompted trainer Philip Hobbs to consider abandoning Rooster Booster’s usual waiting tactics to make the running instead.

Hobbs said: “He’s in very good form. We’ll see how the race is going to pan out and if there doesn’t look like being much pace, then we might just have to make it.

“I imagine Richard (Johnson) will have a word with some of the other lads in the weighing room beforehand to help make his mind up.”

Back In Front returns to Prestbury Park, where he won the 2003 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, on the back of a good second to subsequent Grade One winner Harchibald at Punchestown last month.

Howard Johnson’s Inglis Drever is next in the betting and he is as short as 3-1 with Hills after his second to Harchibald in the ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle last time.

The fifth horse home in that race, The French Furze, also takes his chance.

The 10-year-old finished last in this race last year but trainer Nicky Richards was encouraged by his run at Newcastle and is hoping to claim some place money.

He said: “He is in good form and if things go right for him he could run into a bit of place money. He came out of the race at Newcastle the other day well.

“He hit the third flight and got a bit behind, and then when he was staying on up the straight, he blew the second-last flight out or he might have been a bit closer.

“He is a smashing horse who owes us nothing, and while he keeps enjoying his racing we will let him run.”

Just seven runners go to post with Flame Creek, who will be having his first run since disappointing in the Irish Champion Hurdle in January, Martin Pipe’s Westender and the outsider Knockrigg completing the line-up.

One horse who misses out, though, is Royal Shakespeare, who has been laid low with a tracheal infection.

Trainer Steve Gollings said: “Royal Shakespeare will not be running tomorrow as he has got a tracheal infection.

“His blood profile is not satisfactory and it would be unacceptable to run him.

“It’s a bit of a blow but these things happen with horses. He’d been a little bit flat since his run at Newcastle and we have been testing him since.”

Totesport Bula Hurdle betting:

William Hill: 9-4 Back in Front, Rooster Booster, 3-1 Inglis Drever, 9-2 Westender, 8-1 Flame Creek, 33-1 The French Furze, 500-1 Knockrigg.

Ladbrokes: 9-4 Back In Front, Rooster Booster, 7-2 Inglis Drever, Westender, 9-1 Flame Creek, 40-1 The French Furze, 500-1 Knockrigg.

Totesport: 5-2 Back in Front, Rooster Booster, 4-1 Inglis Drever, 5-1 Westender, 8-1 Flame Creek, 50-1 The French Furze, 500-1 Knockrigg.