An injury setback means Mercian Prince will miss the Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase at Aintree next month.
The Amy Murphy-trained seven-year-old had been expected to run in the Grade Three contest on April 13, but it has now been confirmed he suffered a cut to his leg during the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month and will instead have to swerve the meeting.
“He was travelling very well, then he made a mistake at the top of the hill. He got a nasty gash and came home with quite a war wound,” Murphy said. “He had an awful lot of blood coming out of him when he came back in. Thank God it is superficial and that it will sort itself out as it could have been a lot worse.
“He is going to lose a few days with this wound so it has put us on the back foot.”
Murphy went on to confirm that they have already lined up an alternative run for Mercian Prince, with an outing in the Listed Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase at Ayr on April 20 now being on the cards.
She added: “He will run in the two-and-a-half-mile Listed handicap chase at Ayr now. It is a shame he won't run in the Topham, but he is only seven and he can do that next year.”
