Rubi Light out of JN Wine Chase Robbie Hennessy has been forced to rule Rubi Light out of Saturday's JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal after his stable star picked up a viral infection. The French-bred six-year-old has won four times since arriving in Ireland and signed off last season with a superb third in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He would have made a winning return to action at Gowran Park a month ago but for falling at the final fence and Hennessy had been looking forward to stepping him up in trip for this weekend's Grade One contest, but he will not be lining up. "Unfortunately we won't be running on Saturday," confirmed Hennessy. "He didn't work great this morning so we got the vets to do a few tests on him and he's shown to have a viral infection, which will knock him back around a week. "It's nothing serious but he's going to have to have an easy five or six days and that is going to rule him out of this weekend. "It's disappointing as it looked an ideal race for him to start off over three miles, but these things happen." Rubi Light will now be considered for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 19, the intended target of last year's Gold Cup hero Long Run and Kauto Star. "I've entered him for the Betfair Chase at Haydock, so we'll have a look at that, otherwise it will be the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in early December," the trainer added. "At this level there is no easy option so we'll wait and see how he is next weekend and fingers crossed, he should be OK."
