'He really does deserve a big one' - Fowler hoping Colonel Mustard can step up in Scottish Champion Hurdle

Colonel Mustard is 6-1 joint-favourite for Saturday's Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle with the sponsors and trainer Lorna Fowler thinks Ayr could be the place to secure a belated big handicap win for her pride and joy. 

The eight-year-old was worn down late by Benson in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last month, having touched 1-3 in-running on Betfair and the only victories on his CV are a Punchestown bumper and Galway maiden hurdle, but he has chased home Echoes In Rain in a Grade 1, finished second to Jonbon in a Grade 2 at Ascot and was third to State Man in last year's County Hurdle when the winner was rated 25lb lower than he is now. 

Fowler said: "The Scottish Champion Hurdle is very much the plan for Colonel Mustard and I hope First Street runs so we won't have top weight. But even if he did it wouldn't bother me too much as he had top weight at Kelso too. Kieren Buckley will ride again and take off 3lb for us. 

"I think Ayr will really suit him. It's a nice flat track and everything about the race should be right up his street. It's a stronger race than the Kelso one, though, so he will need to bring every bit of his A-game if he's going to win."

Reflecting on the near-miss at Kelso, Fowler said: "No disrespect to the winner but I felt mugged that day. It was a really tough one to take. He runs consistently well all the time and he definitely deserves a big one. He stuck into himself quite badly at Kelso, it was quite nasty. We tried to get him ready for Cheltenham but it just came too soon so we said we would wait for this instead and he seems to be in great form."

Nineteen remained in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at the five-day stage, including the last two winners in Anna Bunina and Milkwood. 

Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.25 Ayr, Saturday)

Coral: 6 Colonel Mustard, Iceo, 15-2 L'Eau Du Sud, 8 Anna Bunina, Nemean Lion, 9 Carnfunnock, Colonel Harry, Soaring Glory, 10 First Street, 12 bar

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