QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle
Grade 2, Limited Handicap,
Ayr 14:35
£100,000 added, 4yo plus,
2m, Class 1  
Saturday 18th April 2015

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1 Cheltenian 10/1
2 Sign Of A Victory 7/2F
3 Ifandbutwhynot 20/1
NR: I Shot The Sheriff (IRE)
14 ran Distances: nk, 2½l, ½l
TIME 3m 35.30s (fast by 3.70s)

Cheltenian takes the Scottish Champion Hurdle under a 'Thou Shalt Not Pass' ride from Richard Johnson

Cheltenian
© Caroline Norris
Cheltenian

After Bertimont and Violet Dancer had set a solid gallop, Cheltenian and Sign Of A Victory knuckled down to slog it out.

It was nip and tuck on the run to the line, with the Philip Hobbs-trained Cheltenian just proving the stronger by a neck, with Ifandbutwhynot two and a half lengths back in third.

Hobbs said: "We hoped he'd run well, but we didn't think he'd go and win.

"This has been a fantastic horse. He won the Cheltenham bumper some years ago, but he hasn't won for a bit (since December 2013) and what a time to come back and win.

"He's had mainly tendon problems and had a long time off. He's come back really well and for the last two years we've not known whether to go two miles or two and a half. He's done it fantastic today."

QuinnBet

QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle
£100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places

Pos Dist Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st Cheltenian (FR) 10/1 R Johnson
10-13
P J Hobbs 9
2nd nk Sign Of A Victory (IRE) 7/2f A Tinkler
11-0
N J Henderson 6
3rd Ifandbutwhynot (IRE) 20/1 J J Burke (3)
10-5
D O'Meara 9
4th ½ Handiwork 22/1 Sean Bowen (3)
10-4
S Gollings 5
5th Gassin Golf 10/1 T Scudamore
10-8
R Lee 6
6th Calipto (FR) 15/2 Sam Twiston-Davies
10-9
P F Nicholls 5
7th Bertimont (FR) 12/1 Harry Skelton
11-4
D Skelton 5
8th hd Cool Macavity (IRE) 16/1 Nico de Boinville
10-4
N J Henderson 7
9th 5 Roman Flight (IRE) 25/1 Aidan Coleman
10-6
David Dennis 7
10th 1 Sea Lord (IRE) 9/1 A P McCoy
11-1
J P Ferguson 8
11th 7 Pearl Castle (IRE) 10/1 Dean Pratt (7)
10-6
J J Quinn 5
12th 29 Violet Dancer 14/1 L P Aspell
10-7
G L Moore 5
PU Irving 15/2 Nick Scholfield
11-10
P F Nicholls 7
F Cinders And Ashes 18/1 Henry Brooke
10-7
D McCain Jnr 8
NR I Shot The Sheriff (IRE) (ex5) 4/1 P Townend
10-5
A J Martin 8