Punjabi signed off for season

Punjabi, the 2009 Champion Hurdle winner, has been ruled out for the season.

The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old will instead be given time off in anticipation of a novice-chasing campaign in 2011-12.

Tony Stafford, racing manager for owner Raymond Tooth, said: “The horse had a veterinary inspection and obviously it was enough for us to say, ’Hey, hold on a bit’.

“It seems silly to take any risks with a horse of his quality, so we’ll give him time off and get him ready for next year.

“It’s nothing serious or sinister, it’s just a value judgement.”

Despite winning at Kempton in February, Punjabi was disappointing in this year’s Champion Hurdle, in which he finished ninth. He was then last in Punchestown’s Rabobank Champion Hurdle in April.

“He’ll only be eight next year, rising nine, so he’s still got time on his side,” added Stafford.

“There are no guarantees, of course, but hopefully he’ll be somewhere near as good over fences as he was over hurdles.

“Nicky will obviously be painstaking in his preparation and schooling, but if he didn’t take to fences, we could always go back over hurdles – though whether he’ll be as good again, I’m not so sure.”