The New One usually eats Haydock’s Champion Hurdle trial for breakfast before going on to just fall short in the Champion Hurdle proper at the Cheltenham festival and he’ll attempt to tick the first of those boxes off on Saturday (14:40).
This year’s renewal sees only three horses oppose Nigel Twiston Davies' well-loved ten-year-old and they’ll have to be up to their game to trouble this seasoned campaigner.
He came in behind Champion Hurdle Fav Buever d’Air in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton last time, putting in a fine display indeed before the younger model pulled out another gear and passed him by.
He’s a 6/5 shot to get back to winning ways on Merseyside.
Ch’tibello ran his first race in over a year when coming fourth behind My Tent Or Yours (The New One was in second) in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.
That was a nice reappearance and he’s entitled to strip fitter for it.
He has course form at Haydock, too, having won a Grade 2 Handicap on heavy ground in the backend of 2016.
Conditions should suit then, with almost meeting-endangering conditions forecast, and he has that in his favour.
He should be a touch fresher than The New One, too, and might be a value call for those in search of something to take the fav on with.
Clyne gave the market favourite something to think about in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on what was both of their seasonal appearances in October and shouldn’t be a million miles away from getting involved again, although he does have a bit to find to land the spoils here.
Unison completes the field.
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