Grands Crus to swerve Argento Chase
The seven-year-old grey impressed when winning the Feltham Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, and trainer David Pipe had been mulling a step up to full company this weekend.
However, Grands Crus will now not line up in the Cheltenham contest, for which he was the ante-post favourite.
Pipe told Press Association Sport: “He does not run on Saturday.
“We’ve decided we don’t want to give him a hard race with Cheltenham just around the corner in March.”
Grands Crus proved second only to Big Buck's in the staying hurdle ranks last term and has made quite an impression since switching to fences.
A 10-length winner on his debut at Cheltenham, he then claimed a Newbury Grade Two before going on to success at Kempton.
Pipe is now considering a Festival prep run at Newbury on February 11, although he will not be taking on Long Run in the Betfair Denman Chase.
He said: “He could run at Newbury on February 11, Betfair Trophy day, in a three-mile novice chase, not in the Denman.”
