Skelton hopes wind-op works magic on Ch'Tibello

Ch'Tibello

But for injury Dan Skelton would have had an arguably stronger candidate in County Hurdle winner Superb Story, but he warns us not to underestimate Ch'Tibello, who has had a wind operation since he made a race of it with Yanworth at Wincanton, when in receipt of 4lb.

Skelton said: "I’m really happy with Ch’Tibello now. I just gave him the time since his wind-op to make sure he was alright, and I’ve been really happy with him the last four or five days.

"I've put a tongue-strap on because we felt, if it was anything, it was his palate the other day at Wincanton, so we’re just covering all bases. He had the op on the Monday after Wincanton. It’s got to improve him."

Cyrus Darius

Cyrus Darius is a first Champion Hurdle runner for Malcolm Jefferson since his 1995 Champion Bumper winner Dato Star took on the mighty Istabraq twice. He has described the pair as "chalk and cheese", but what they have in common is talent.

A big horse who has returned to hurdling after having to be roughed off last season following a novice chase win at Perth, Cyrus Darius is something of an unknown quantity.

Jefferson said: "He looked very classy at Aintree and then he had a setback chasing. We've been very happy with him, he's a big horse – he's 17hh – and he ran well for a long way against race-fit horses on his comeback and then won well at Kelso.

"He's come out of that well and we think he's improved again. It's an open race, the ground should be fine and he seems fine. Off 146 he could have gone for a handicap but Brian [Hughes – jockey] was very keen to run here. He's a good travelling horse and it will be interesting. I think he will run really well."