Tendon problem rules out Champion Hurdle bid for Superb Story

Superb Story has been ruled out of the Stan James Champion Hurdle with a tendon problem.The six-year-old had booked his ticket for the Cheltenham Festival feature on March 14 with victory in a competitive handicap hurdle at Musselburgh in January in what has been his only start this winter.Trainer Dan Skelton had been eager to have a crack at Grade One company with last year's County Hurdle hero, but Superb Story will now be sidelined until next season.Skelton tweeted: "Superb Story will not be running at Cheltenham. He's got a small lesion in a tendon and will need time off. Possibly back in December."The Warwickshire handler still has Ch'tibello in the Champion Hurdle reckoning, but he is also far from certain to make the line up following his second in the Kingwell Hurdle last Saturday.Skelton added: "In other Champion Hurdle news, Ch'tibello will have a soft palate cautery as we felt he didn't get home as well as expected at the weekend. He's 50-50 for Cheltenham and if (he) swerves it, (he) will go straight to Punchestown. Didn't make a noise at Wincanton but we had a look."