Shadow Leader will head straight for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle without having another run prior to the Cheltenham Festival, his trainer Charlie Egerton reported yesterday.

The seven-year-old, unbeaten in four starts last season, culminating in a spectacular victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Festival, suffered his second defeat in two outings in the Agfa Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday, finishing six lengths second to Master Beveled.

Egerton said: "He is fine this morning, and he will probably go straight to Cheltenham. I was disappointed but the race wasn't run to suit him. At Cheltenham you will get a true-run race, and his forte is coming off a strong pace."

Bookmakers differed in their reaction to Shadow Leader's defeat, William Hill pushing him out one point from 6 to 1 to 7 to 1.