Obeaux skips Cleeve engagement Alpha Des Obeaux will not run in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday. Despite featuring among the 10 entries for the Grade Two contest, the Mouse Morris-trained six-year-old won't be making the trip as it would come just nine days after his comfortable win in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran. Morris said: "We entered him for the race last week, but he won't be going now. "He's come out of Gowran well." There may still be an Irish challenger, with Guitar Pete in the mix for Sandra Hughes. Thistlecrack is the star name on the list of possible runners as he goes to Prestbury Park on a hat-trick. Colin Tizzard's eight-year-old heads ante-post lists for the World Hurdle at the Festival in March having impressed in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and the Long Walk at Ascot. Camping Ground is set to be stepped up to three miles for the first time by trainer Robert Walford after blitzing his rivals in the two-and-a-half-mile Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. George Charlton's admirable teenager Knockara Beau was a shock 66-1 winner of the race two years ago and is set to line up once more, while smart chasers Ptit Zig and The Young Master could revert to hurdles. Part-owner Robert Waley-Cohen said of the latter: "He'll run in the Cleeve Hurdle on Saturday then he will go back chasing, that's the plan." Anteros, The Romford Pele and Kayflin complete the list.
