Ashkazar bypasses Cheltenham challenge
Top-weight and leading fancy Ashkazar has been declared a non-runner in tomorrow’s Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.
David Pipe’s four-year-old is already a general 16-1 chance for the Champion Hurdle following his Imperial Cup win last term and his subsequent second place under a heavy burden in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.
Ashkazar was due to have his first outing since that Festival run in the Greatwood back at Prestbury Park but Pipe has withdrawn the gelding due to an unsatisfactory blood test.
With joint top-weight Blue Bajan already having been withdrawn by trainer Andy Turnell on account of the testing ground, Pigeon Island and Aigle D’Or now head the field for the extended two-mile event.
