Prospect Wells to have breathing operation
The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old trailed home a well-beaten fourth when strongly fancied for the Grade One contest, leaving connections to initially believe they had turned the gelding out too quickly after his fine fourth in The Ladbroke three weeks earlier.
But the British champion trainer decided to have his charge thoroughly checked by the vet and the problem has come to light.
Speaking in his Betfair column, Nicholls said: “Prospect Wells really had me scratching my head after his lifeless performance in the Tolworth at Sandown. I was at a total loss.
“It would have been all too easy to have simply written it off as trainer error for running the horse too soon after Ascot and as an afterthought – after all, we only put him in the Tolworth after the race re-opened at the five day stage – but the way he ran suggested there was far, far more to it than that.
“The run was too bad to be true and Ruby (Walsh) said to me that the horse sounded thicker in his wind than he normally does.
“So we got Geoff Lane in to take a look at him, and scope him, and he discovered that the horse had an entrapped epiglottis and that 100% explains the Sandown run. To keep it simple, it is like a car running on two cylinders instead of four, so he is being operated on this Saturday.
“I do know that one high-profile horse had the same problem last season, was operated on in in the first week of February, and then won at Cheltenham. So hopefully we still have a Festival horse on our hands,” he added.
“Prospect Wells has options in both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and County Hurdle, and we have won the County with novices in the past, such as American Trilogy in 2009 and Desert Quest in 2006.
“Plans and ratings change, but at this stage I would be leaning towards the Supreme. But, honestly, I am not sure, so bear that in mind when you are betting.”
Nicholls, meanwhile, is planning to give Zarkandar a racecourse gallop in the next 10 days in preparation for a likely run in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 11.
Last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner has not been seen since completing a spring double at Aintree last April, but a return to the track is imminent.
The champion trainer remains hopeful the stoutly bred five-year-old can develop into a serious contender for the Champion Hurdle back at Cheltenham in March.
Nicholls said: “I was obviously very pleased to hear that Zarkandar will be left on a mark of 151 for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury next month. And I am clearly very keen to run the horse in what is now Europe’s richest handicap hurdle since Betfair backed the race. However, I have decided to give him a racecourse gallop in the next 10 days to see whether he will be ready in time to do himself justice at Newbury. That gallop will decide where we go next with the horse.
“The Champion Hurdle is the only race that matters for him though, and he is in good order.”
