De Soto Plans Scuppered By Weather

De Soto is likely to head to the Cheltenham Festival without another run after connections abandoned plans to go to Newbury on Saturday.

Trainer Paul Webber had been hoping to send his promising novice for the totesport Trophy at the Berkshire track.

However, the recent snow and prospect of rain have prompted Webber to reconsider and he is now likely to go straight to the Festival.

'It's going to be too soft for him with all the snow and the rain,' said the Banbury handler.

'I think we will head straight to Cheltenham with him now.'

De Soto is also entered for Saturday's Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown and the totesport.com Novices' Hurdle at Exeter on Sunday but Webber is unlikely to send him to either venue.

'He is entered in Ireland but it wouldn't be easy to get there with the way the weather is and it would probably be just as soft,' he added.

'I wouldn't be worried about going straight to the Festival with him, I would have been more worried running him on soft ground at this stage.'

De Soto is a best-priced 16-1 with Coral and William Hill for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Festival.

(C) PA Sport