Cheltenham Festival Tips: Chance Pied Piper each-way at 16/1 in Champion Hurdle

• Constitution Hill withdrawal confirmed

• State Man now strong favourite

• Mark is trying to land a 16/117.00 shot in the frame

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It's probably fair to say most of the drama has revolved around the build up to this year's Champion Hurdle rather than what will likely happen in the race itself.

In the news that no-one really wanted but most expected, Constitution Hill was officially declared a non-runner on Monday following on from his abject gallop and subsequent poor scope the previous week.

That in theory leaves the way clear for State Man to claim a Champion Hurdle crown that had looked most unlikely even just a fortnight ago.

In what now looks a most sub-standard renewal, it will be a massive shock if State Man can't claim the win, his form in the division clearly better than everything bar the mighty Constitution Hill.

What the whole saga does bring back into sharp focus is the folly of campaigning jumps horses with only the Festival in mind.

The paying public have largely been robbed of seeing one of the most exciting hurdlers of all time in action more than once this season simply because his connections were laser focused on winning at Cheltenham at all costs.

Let's be clear, these are not flat horses with massive stud values to protect.

These are box-office equine athletes whose sole aim is to win jumps races, and the people who pay to watch and bet on this sport - and essentially keep the whole show on the road - deserve more than they're currently getting from the winter game.

Anyway, rant over, as they say.

Elliot's hope to pipe up

So, State Man in all probability wins the Champion Hurdle, with credible opposition thin on the ground.

However, we can't back him at the short price he currently is and we're probably better off trying to land one in the frame each-way.

The rest are much of a muchness in truth, but there are some big prices knocking around and the one I'm most enticed by is Pied Piper at 16/117.00.

He's probably not good enough to beat State Man on all we know, but he has bits and pieces of form that entitles him to be on the premises, including when second in the County Hurdle last season.

Now, there's obviously a chance he could go for that race again, but at least with NRMB we have an insurance policy, and hopefully the Elliott team will roll the big dice with Constitution Hill out of the picture.

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