Scottish Grand National Festival: Ch’Tibello weighted to collect Champion Hurdle for Skelton

David Metcalf | April 15, 2016

Thrown in Ch’Tibello handicapped to strike in Scottish Champion Hurdle

Ch’Tibello can take advantage of what looks a lenient opening handicap mark to land the Scottish Champion Hurdle on Coral Scottish Grand National Day at Ayr (15:00).

The gelding won in good style on his second start in France and has shaped with bags of promise to finish make the frame in three starts since joining trainer Dan Skelton.

In the second of those, the five-year-old got collared close home and beaten just 1 1/4 lengths by the ultra-classy Altior at Ascot.

Altior has won three times since, including a very strong renewal of the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and is now rated 160.

Ascot form extremely strong

The pair also pulled 20 lengths clear of the third home Vancouverite, who had won two of his last three starts going into the contest and is rated 132.

That is very strong form, and Ch’Tibello has since gone on to finish a solid third to Stenrubin in the Listed Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury.

Although eventually beaten nine lengths, Ch’Tibello made a costly blunder two from home and faced a stiff task trying to give 9lb to the winner who has scored since and finished a cracking third of 26 to Superb Story in the County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time out off a mark of 142.