Montbazon not for Cheltenham

Alan King has ruled Montbazon out of the Cheltenham Bumper and will instead wait for the Aintree equivalent.

The four-year-old barely broke sweat in winning the £50,000 DBS Spring Sales Bumper at Doncaster on Saturday and looks a high-class prospect in the making.

He holds an entry at the Festival, but King feels that will now come too soon.

"That was an important race to win, and Montbazon looks very good," the Barbury Castle handler told his website, www.alankingracing.co.uk.

"Cheltenham will come too quick, so we will keep him back for Aintree and he is a very exciting prospect."

King also revealed that Arkle favourite Medermit came through his latest piece of work at the weekend unscathed.

"Medermit worked on the grass on Saturday and will school on Monday, so it is a case of just keeping the squad in good order over the next 10 days," he added.