Scoobydo out for season
The seven-year-old was second favourite for the Cheltenham Novices’ Chase (formerly Centenary Novices’ Chase) at the Festival next month, and had put together a series of good efforts this season.
However, he damaged his back when being put through his paces on the schooling grounds and will not run again this term.
Keighley tweeted: “Havingotascoobydo damaged some back muscles schooling and won’t be back in time for Cheltenham, so we’ve decided to finish him for the season.
“The whole team are so disappointed as he was going there with such a great chance.”
The williamhill.com Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday looks like providing plenty of Triumph Hurdle clues.
Alan King’s Grumeti, the Philip Hobbs-trained Sadler’s Risk, Paul Nicholls’ Dildar and Lyvius, trained by Nicky Henderson, are prominent in the ante-post betting for the Cheltenham event and could line up at the Esher circuit.
The last two winners of the Triumph Hurdle, Soldatino and Zarkandar, both used this race, which has attracted 13 entries at the five-day confirmation stage, as a stepping-stone to glory.
Baby Mix and Dark And Dangerous, as well as Henderson’s Une Artiste, have also shown winning form.
Nicholls has entered Dodging Bullets, trained on the Flat in Ireland and bred by Frankie Dettori.
