The feature race at Wincanton on Saturday is the 2m Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle (14:45).
Ch’tibello has some strong form in the book, so now dropping down from the highest level looks decent value to land the spoils.
This Harry Skelton trained nine-year-old finished a 2 1/2 lengths runner-up to Elgin in the 2018 renewal.
Following a spell in the wilderness, he enjoyed his finest hour at last year’s Cheltenham Festival when landing a gamble in the ultra-competitive County Hurdle.
Ch’tibello came from off the pace and found plenty for pressure to fend off the challenge of We Have A Dream by 1 1/2 lengths.
Connections then decided to pitch him into Grade 1 company for his final start of the campaign at the Aintree Grand National Festival.
The son of Sageburg ran a stormer to finish a 1 1/2 lengths third to Supasundaue in the Aintree Hurdle.
Ch’tibello finished just half-a-length behind the runner-up and dual Champion Hurdle victor Buveur D’Air. He also pulled 31 lengths clear of the useful Summerville Boy.
Excellent return to action in International
He has had just two starts this season and again ran very well on return to action at Cheltenham when a keeping on 1 1/2 lengths third of eight to Call Me Lord in the Grade 2 International Hurdle.
Ch’tibello faced a stiff task in trying to give the winner 4lb and the second home Ballyandy has since come out and beat Pentland Hills, who finished fifth, in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock.
It’s fair to say that he was then not at his best 12 days later when fifth of 10 to Epatante in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day at Kempton.
That race may well have come too quickly though, so he has since been given a break to freshen-up.
This also represents a return to calmer waters, so Ch’tibello looks well-worth a wager here at odds of 3/1 with BetVictor to notch a seventh career success.
Quel Destin the obvious danger
Having scored in good style last time out, Quel Destin looks the one to give Ch’tibello most to think about.
This five-year-old, who hails from the in-form yard of champion trainer Paul Nicholls, proved himself a top class juvenile last season when winning six times.
Those victories included Grade 2 contests at Doncaster and Haydock, plus a Grade 1 at Chepstow when scoring gamely by a neck.
Quel Deston also ran very well at the Cheltenham Festival when fifth of 14 to Pentland Hills in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle.
The son of Muhtathir has had five starts this season, winning twice, and comes into this on the back of a taking success in a Listed contest at Sandown.
Quel Destin raced prominently throughout and, after leading at the last, found plenty for pressure on the run-in to pull three lengths clear of Call Me Lord.
He was receiving 3lb from the runner-up, who arguably found the drop back to 2m against him, but it was nevertheless still a performance which commands him plenty of respect in this.
On a line through Call Me Lord, however, he does have a bit to find with the selection judged on his run in the International Hurdle.
Hence, at odds of 2/1 with William Hill, Quel Destin looks opposable now stepped back up in grade and is passed over in favour of Ch’tibello.
Song For Someone another with Kingwell Hurdle claims
The aforementioned 2017 Kingwell Hurdle winner Elgin faces a stiff task on return to action following 704 days on the sidelines, so is best watched on this occasion and makes little appeal at 9/2 with Unibet.
One that will not be found lacking for fitness, however, is the Tom Symonds trained Song For Someone, who has a progressive profile and won three of his eight starts.
After scoring easily by 12 lengths on return to action at Fontwell, Song For Someone ran very well when beaten just over four lengths and finishing third of 15 to Mack The Man in a Listed handicap at Sandown.
He backed that up with a crackling length second of eight to Thomas Derby, who finished runner-up in last year’s Grade 1 Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival, in the Grade 3 Holloway Handicap Hurdle.
Song For Someone attempted to make all and, after getting headed two from home, battled on gamely to go down all guns blazing.
It was a career-best performance and, although this demands more, he is clearly going the right way.
He is also rated just a pound below Ch’tibello, from whom he receives 5lb and, on adjusted ratings, comes out on joint-top with Elgin in this six-runner line up.
It would therefore be folly to underestimate the chances of Song For Someone, who can be backed at 9/2 with Betfred here.
