Coneygree© Photo Healy Racing
Gold Cup winner Coneygree has been ruled out of Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup after failing to sparkle in a schooling session on Tuesday.
His participation in the Newbury highlight had been under a cloud following a small setback.
However, noises coming out of his camp had been more positive in recent days and as long as he came through his exercise for which he was partnered by his regular jockey Nico de Boinville, he was due to take his chance,.
Unfortunately, trainer Mark Bradstock and his wife, Sara, were not happy enough with his performance to give him the green light.
"I'm afraid we're not running. He just didn't school well enough. He overreached which he's never done before which suggests he's not comfortable," said Sara Bradstock.
"He didn't jump badly but for him, it wasn't him. We've always said if there was any residual pain left we weren't going to take a risk.
"He definitely wasn't himself.
"Obviously the prime thing is to get him feeling absolutely on top of the world and not worrying about his foot.
"We've got a month to either the King George or the Lexus.
"I think all will be well. It's a timing thing. We're just worried about it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we haven't flared it and he wasn't lame on it again tonight.
"It's just his foot, it's not structural damage."
