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.