Dancer to bypass Kempton

Exotic Dancer is set to head straight to the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup after connections described a weekend run as “unlikely”.

The eight-year-old is entered in Saturday’s Racing Post Chase at Kempton but after a back problem ruled him out of Cheltenham last month, trainer Jonjo O’Neill will not hurry him back into action.

Barry Simpson, racing manager to owner Robert Ogden, said: “I will have a word with Jonjo before the five-day entry stage but my gut feeling is that the horse will not be ready.

“He is making good progress and we want to run but we could do with another week and if we went to Kempton, I don’t think that Exotic Dancer would be capable of performing to his best,” he told the Racing Post.