Snap Tie scuppers Katchit on return

REIGNING Champion Hurdler Katchit’s season did not get off to the best possible start as he suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Snap Tie in the WBX.COM Hurdle at Kempton yesterday.

While doing very little wrong on his first outing since the Cheltenham Festival itself, trainer Alan King felt the lightning fast track had not brought the best out of his star.

Katchit was rated a stone in advance of his six rivals and made the 4-5 favourite for the conditions event, but there was notable support for the Philip Hobbs-trained Snap Tie (11-4), who had also not competed since Cheltenham when finishing third in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.