Skelton sets sights on big guns with Ch'Tibello

Dan Skelton is looking to shake up the established hurdling order with Ch'Tibello on Saturday as he hopes to finally give the horse the Cheltenham debut he was denied in March when he was scratched from the Champion Hurdle on the morning of the race.

Ch'Tibello has not run since beaten a length by last season's Champion Hurdle favourite Yanworth in the Kingwell Hurdle in February, but will have the ground and weight in his favour when he lines up against The New One, Melon and Old Guard in the Unibet International Hurdle.

With 114 winners to his name, Skelton, who sits second in the trainers' title race behind Paul Nicholls, is the winning-most trainer this season, while this week his stable jockey and brother Harry rode his 100th winner of the campaign, incredibly all for the same yard.

To go with their mega numbers, the Skeltons would warmly welcome a horse to challenge for championship honours at Cheltenham, where Dan has already bettered last season's return of one winner from 33 runners having saddled a couple this term – and Champion Hurdle dark horse Ch'Tibello will be on that path should he make a winning return this weekend.

Ch'Tibello lets rip under Harry SkeltonCredit: John Grossick Racing Photography

Cheltenham was under a covering of snow on Monday morning but, after rain, that has nearly all vanished, to leave conditions much to the liking of Ch'Tibello.

Skelton said: "Soft ground has been very much in his favour, which is amazing because we always thought he wanted better ground. He won at Haydock last season in really heavy ground and ran well in the Kingwell.

"We haven't been to Cheltenham before with him but that doesn't hold too many fears. We get 6lb off The New One and it seemed a sensible race to aim for."

He added: "On the morning of the Champion Hurdle he had pus in a foot and he wasn't quite his best afterwards. We're happy with him now and he's ready to run. He's been in long enough."

Melon on the move

Despite Willie Mullins saying on Tuesday the weights did not favour Melon, who concedes 6lb to Ch'Tibello for his win in the WKD Hurdle, Melon was the main market mover on Wednesday as he was cut to a best-priced 9-4 (from 7-2), with bookmakers anticipating he could usurp The New One as favourite.

The New One is set to take on the two horses he beat last year, My Tent Or Yours and Old Guard, in pursuit of a historic fourth victory, with Richard Johnson due to ride unless Sam Twiston-Davies passes a last minute fitness test.

The New One (left) ran a respectable race off top weight in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham last timeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "He's in really good nick, it's his race and has been for three of the last four years.

"We gave My Tent weight last year and we've got to do it again this season, but he hasn't run this season so maybe he won't be quite as sharp.

"Richard Johnson rides and I thought it was a brilliant effort in the Greatwood, He was beaten only five lengths giving tonnes of weight away. He seems as good as ever."

My Tent is still in there pitching

My Tent Or Yours's trainer Nicky Henderson said: "The International Hurdle has always been the plan as we needed to keep him and Buveur D'Air apart.

"Our worry is how soft will the snow leave Cheltenham, because that's not ideal for Tent. He's become a bit more versatile in his old age and he's in good form and I think he's got to run there whatever happens.

"He's been second in two Champion Hurdles, and yes he is that bit older, but rather like The New One they don't seem to lose the will for it."

Old Guard back for more

Old Guard won the race two years ago and is expected to take his chance, with Harry Cobden likely to replace Bryony Frost, who won on him at Newbury last time.

Old Guard: won at Newbury last time but looks likely to be ridden by Harry Cobden, as Bryony Frost is due to ride at DoncasterCredit: Charlie Crowhurst

"Old Guard definitely runs," said trainer Paul Nicholls. "He's in no man's land a bit, rated 155 over hurdles, so he has to run in these sort of races.

"I suspect Harry Cobden will ride him because Bryony is probably going to Doncaster. Sean Bowen is banned so we're a bit stretched for jockeys. Harry won on him the time before and won the International on him."

Weather watch

The going at Cheltenham was soft, good to soft in places, on the chase and hurdles course, and good to soft, soft in places, on the cross-country.

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said on Wednesday: “I was relieved to see the rain but hadn’t quite anticipated 95 per cent of the snow being gone by daybreak. We ended up with 8mm of rainfall.

“We could have a couple of millimetres in showers today and tomorrow, then that’s it. Friday into Saturday is forecast to be -3C.

“If there’s more certainty about that we’ll cover the course after racing on Friday, as we’ve done before. If things change we wouldn’t do it.”

International Hurdle card