De Soto a Festival doubt

Paul Webber will not run De Soto in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle if conditions are too testing on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.

This is despite the gelding, who finished runner-up in the Champion Bumper two years ago, pleasing his trainer in an away gallop at Lambourn on Sunday.

Webber said: “Nicky Henderson very kindly allowed me to work De Soto and two other horses on some of his lovely ground.

“Andrew Tinkler helped supervise the work involving Richard Johnson on De Soto with Kew Green and Patricksnineteenth.

“I was very pleased with De Soto but it doesn’t look too promising that we’ll get our ground and if we don’t, we shall have to wait for Aintree with him.”