THERE were some notable efforts away from the higher-profile jumps meetings, not least that of Charbel in the Scottish Trial Novices’ Hurdle at Musselburgh. The Kim Bailey-trained five-year-old made all under a big weight to win by 11 lengths and posted easily the best time of three races over the course and distance.

Charbel’s timefigure comes out at 149, and that makes him a legitimate Cheltenham contender, but it is worth noting that he was put in his place easily by 153-rated Yanworth at Ascot in December. Yanworth is now odds on in places for the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle.