Mille Chief re-routed to Kempton

Triumph Hurdle favourite Mille Chief will miss his intended appearance at Huntingdon tomorrow after an unsatisfactory scope.

Trainer Alan King has decided to skip the Chatteris Fen Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle despite a nice piece of work this morning.

He will now be aimed at the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton on February 27.

“Mille Chief could not have breezed better, but I was not happy with the subsequent scope so we will keep him back for the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton on February 27,” said King.

“It is annoying, but had we not had him tested we would have run him at Huntingdon and he would have got beaten and left the Triumph Hurdle behind him.

“Galloping five furlongs under no pressure is so very different from a race - he could have travelled for most of the journey at Huntingdon and then bang, he’d have hit the wall.

“So it is better to find out before the dress-rehearsal as no damage has been done and we can get him ready for Kempton,” he told his website, www.alankingracing.co.uk.