King is hoping to cash in with Elgin

ALAN KING believes it is worthwhile for connections to stump up the £20,000 entry fee to supplement Elgin for next Tuesday’s Unibet Champion Hurdle.

“He deserves to take his chance,” said King, above, who landed the prize in 2008 with Katchit.

“He’s rated 161 and that is higher than three of the first six home last year and you can’t run in a handicap now off that mark.

“He goes in any sort of ground. If you take the favourite (Buveur D’Air) out, it’s a wide open affair.

“He has progressed right the way through.”

Elgin is 20-1 with Ladbrokes. Buveur D’Air heads the market at 1-2 with Faugheen 9-2 and Min at 8-1. Melon, Yorkhill and My Tent Or Yours are all 10-1 shots.

“He is much more the finished article this year,” said King.

“I would have said he learned a lot from running in the Supreme (Novices’ Hurdle) at the Festival last season.

“I think that made a man of him.”

King is confident he has made the correct decision to put Yanworth’s chasing career on hold for a shot at next Thursday’s Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle.

“I just felt off his current mark, over fences, we couldn’t run him in the RSA Chase as it would be pointless, so it was either run him in the Ultima Chase or Stayers’ so from that point of view it was an easy decision,” he said.

Derek O’Connor will continue his partnership with Edwulf in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday week.

The pair teamed up to land a remarkable victory in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month.

Edwulf’s life hung in the balance after he collapsed from exhaustion in the closing stages of the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Festival.

Vroum Vroum Mag, winner of the 2016 OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival, has been ruled out of this year’s race.

The Willie Mullinstrained mare will now be retired to stud.