Aces Four a doubt for Cheltenham

Ferdy Murphy has all but ruled out a trip to the Cheltenham Festival with Aces Four.

The nine-year-old has has had just one start this term, when pulled up in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby back in November.

Aces Four was due to run in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon later that month but was a late withdrawal due to a small setback that continues to keep him on the sidelines.

“I’m going to speak to the owners during the week. We are getting short on time with him so we’ll discuss whether we push or go the cautious route with him,” said Murphy.

“It’s still eight weeks and if the ground came up lively, he could make it but when you are in doubt the best thing to do is pull out.

“He’s got a very small problem. If you ran your hand down his leg you wouldn’t know anything was wrong but when you put the machine on him you can just see a very small shadow on the scan.

“We don’t know what it is. It looks like a little haematoma, which is a blood blister, and that’s what the vets think it is but it is either there or its not there.

“I’ve got to speak to the owners but I think it is unlikely he’ll be going to Cheltenham.

“He’s a very good horse, probably the best we have in the yard, so we are not going to take any chances with him,” he told At The Races.