Leading Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle contender Wolf Prince has been ruled out of next month's Cheltenham Festival due to injury.
The Gavin Cromwell-trained four-year-old had been expected to challenge for glory in the Grade Three race at Prestbury Park after finishing second to A Wave Of The Sea in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown earlier this month.
However, Cromwell has now revealed that the Patrick Sheanon-owned gelding picked up a knock during that race and he has now lost his battle to be fit in time for the festival.
“It's disappointing,” Cromwell was quoted as saying by the Racing Post. “He got a small knock at Leopardstown and I suppose we were being a bit optimistic and were hoping he'd be okay in time for Cheltenham.
“Unfortunately, Cheltenham looks as though it will come a bit too soon and we had to make that decision this morning.”
The good news is that the injury is not thought to be too serious and certainly not career-threatening, with Cromwell keeping his fingers crossed that Wolf Prince could even race again this season.
“I'm not sure whether he'll be back in time for the other spring festivals,” the trainer added. “I wouldn't rule anything in or out at this stage.”
