Commander to have Warwick spin
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies was quick to make alternative arrangements for the 10-year-old, who has not raced since making a successful reappearance in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November.
He was to have run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton but a setback ruled him out of the Christmas feature.
“He’s going to Warwick tomorrow. He’ll go about two miles round there with Paddy (Brennan) riding but won’t jump any fences,” said the Naunton handler.
“He’ll be accompanied by some stablemates.”
Imperial Commander is ante-post favourite at around 7-2 to retain his crown at Prestbury Park on March 18.
Willie Mullins meanwhile is considering whether to give long-term absentee Fiveforthree a racecourse outing before a tilt at the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
The nine-year-old has not been sighted since winning a Grade One at the 2009 Punchestown Festival, but a return is seemingly imminent.
“I’m going to enter him in one or two other races, but if the ground is very heavy I might leave him at home and just bring him to Cheltenham I think,” Mullins told At The Races. “The weather is so bad and I don’t particularly want to run him on really heavy ground, but you never know.”
Fiveforthree is 33-1 for the World Hurdle on March 17.
