Cross return 'unlikely'

Michael Halford admitted it is “unlikely” last year’s World Hurdle runner-up Golden Cross will run again.

The eight-year-old suffered a bad overreach and cut into a tendon muscle when finishing a head behind My Way De Solzen at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He’s not in training and won’t be for the foreseeable future,” said Halford.

“You’d have to say it’s unlikely he will return but you can never say never.

“He’s making slow progress but he certainly won’t be back this season.”