Cheltenham Festival 2018 – Kim Bailey’s Charbel to head straight to the Queen Mother Champion Chase

KIM BAILEY will send Charbel straight to the Cheltenham Festival after skipping an outing at Ascot on Saturday.

Bailey’s chaser was set to run in the Clarence House Chase, but with the ground unsuitable he will now head straight for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

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Connections will be hoping for better luck this year at Prestbury Park after he fell at the second last fence in the Arkle Trophy last year when looking as if he might give eventual winner Altior a race.

“The plan was to run in the Clarence House Chase but we made the decision that the ground was too soft,” said Bailey.

“He ran a blinder in the Tingle Creek where he didn’t jump great at a few. He goes straight to Cheltenham now.

“He wants good ground and he is a horse that runs well fresh. His work this week I’ve been happy with and he is in very good form.”