Halo out of Long Walk Celestial Halo has been ruled out of tomorrow's Wessex Youth Trust Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot with a foot infection. Paul Nicholls' nine-year-old showed he was as good as ever when winning the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in impressive fashion last month. He had At Fishers Cross behind him that day and the pair were due to meet again in a mouthwatering clash, but Nicholls tweeted: "Sadly Celestial Halo is a non runner at Ascot tomorrow due to a foot infection." Time For Rupert does take his chance in the Long Walk and pushed Big Buck's close in the 2010 World Hurdle. Since then, however, he has been chasing with a mixed degree of success, with the undoubted highlight a fine fifth to Synchronised in the Gold Cup. Off the track since November 2012 after a growth was found close to his brain, trainer Paul Webber has his eyes on a tilt at the Grand National but Time For Rupert's owners still need convincing. "Since his well-documented problems and his operation he has not missed a day since August. He's done lots of work and while I would obviously expect him to improve for the run I expect him to run well. We mustn't forget that when he last ran over hurdles he got closer to Big Buck's than many others have since," said the Mollington handler. "Denis (O'Regan) has been schooling him and ridden him in work and feels all his old ability is still there. I think he looks an ideal National type to me but the owners still need convincing. "Were he to run a big race, though, and with Big Buck's having missed a year we may be tempted to stay hurdling."
