MILLE CHIEF has been ruled out of the JCB Triumph Hurdle having failed to show sufficient improvement from the setback which caused him to miss his intended outing at Kempton last Saturday.
The French import has endured an interrupted season but was ante-post favourite with many bookmakers before news of his lameness emerged.
King had hoped there was a small chance he could still make the Festival, but he told his website, www.alankingracing.co.uk: “Mille Chief is getting better and we can see improvement, but we have basically run out of time to make the Triumph. You can’t go half-cocked to Cheltenham – even 90 per cent is not good enough.
“He’ll miss Cheltenham and we’ll monitor the situation, but I’d be optimistic we’ll make Liverpool.”
Robert Thornton can hardly wait to get the leg up on Medermit in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in less than two weeks.
Having been beaten just half a length by fellow Champion Hurdle aspirant Go Native in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Medermit had initially been lined up for a novice chasing campaign.
However, two placed efforts over the Champion Hurdle course and distance encouraged connections to stick over the smaller obstacles and he was mightily impressive when beating Punjabi at Haydock in January.
“His form looks very good now and I think the race has become very open as the season’s progressed,” Thornton told At The Races.
“I sorted of wanted to go and jump a fence with him and I think the owners were going that way.
“It was completely down to Alan (King) that we gave him a run in the Bula to see if we could have a crack at the Champion and thank goodness we did as he’s got a great chance. Last year he was slightly forgotten before the Supreme Novices’ but I fancied him that day and you could argue he was slightly unlucky as he got hampered at the last by Cousin Vinny.
“As he’s progressed he’s become more versatile and now I could basically do what I want with him. In the Champion Hurdle they’ll go a good gallop, which will suit, so we’ll try and bounce off the bend and press from there.
“He’s proved already he’ll gallop up the Cheltenham hill, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
