Confidence in the camp that Ch' Tibello can go one better

2.45 Wincanton
Betway Kingwell Hurdle, G2 | 1m7½f, 4yo+ | ITV4/RUK

Last year's runner-up Ch'Tibello "will take the beating" on his return to Somerset according to his jockey Harry Skelton, the pair having chased home the classy Yanworth in this race 12 months ago.

The Skeltons, who won the Kingwell with Blue Heron in 2015, were not too downhearted by Ch'Tibello's narrow defeat by The New One at Haydock last time and expect their seven-year-old to be better suited by a return to this tighter track.

Ch'Tibello had finished an honourable fourth when returning from a ten-month layoff at Cheltenham in December and should have more to give.

His jockey Harry Skelton said: "The track at Wincanton suits Ch'Tibello better than Haydock and he'll take the beating on the strength of his run in the race last year.

"He always travels well in his races and it was the long straight and tough opponent in The New One that found him out. The team are very happy with him at home and he's got to have a great shout."

His main rival looks to be the French import Call Me Lord, who was taking his record to two from three for Nicky Henderson when winning a handicap in impressive fashion at Sandown last month.

As it was heavy ground that day, Call Me Lord will find conditions to his liking at Wincanton, although he was turned over at odds-on when tackling a track similar to this at Huntingdon in November.

Henderson said: "It’s a step up as he has had to come out of handicaps. He does like going right handed so we’ll have to hope and see. He was very good the last time and he is a pacey horse."

Last year's winning trainer Alan King was the last handler to saddle a winner of this that went on to land the Champion Hurdle (Katchit in 2008). He relies on the prolific Elgin.

The six-year-old may find this tricky under a 4lb penalty for winning the Greatwood at Cheltenham in November. He returns from a short break after finishing sixth in similar company at Ascot before Christmas.

King said: "He had a very good autumn, winning a valuable handicap at Ascot and then the Greatwood at Cheltenham, and there was nothing wrong with his sixth under top weight at Ascot in December."

He added: "He’s in really good order but I’m really pleased we didn’t run him under a big weight in the Betfair Hurdle last Saturday. It’s getting more difficult from a handicapping point of view, but I think he’s improved again and I’ve been very pleased with his work."

Cliffs Of Dover: won six of his seven races over hurdlesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Paul Nicholls has won this three times and relies on Cliffs Of Dover, who won six of his seven races over jumps in 2016 but had his bid for the Triumph Hurdle curtailed through injury shortly afterwards.

The five-year-old is entitled to need the run after more than a year off, but Nicholls said: "He got a leg and has been off for a while. I'm nervous of the ground but, if I’m going to run him in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, I’ve got to get a race into him and there is nothing else left.

"He’s never run on the ground but has done a lot of work. I suspect he'll need the run and that the ground will be soft enough for him but, who knows?"

Last year's Fred Winter winner Flying Tiger, the mount of Richard Johnson, and no-hoper Cap'N, who has beaten only one horse home in his three starts to date, complete the six-runner field.

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