Cheltenian show just Champion Cheltenian landed a hard-fought victory in the QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in the hands of Richard Johnson. After Bertimont and Violet Dancer had set a solid gallop, Cheltenian (10-1) 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."
