Top novice Alexander Banquet is out for the rest of the season with a leg injury.

Alexander Banquet, who tasted defeat for the first time in his career in the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle at Cheltenham, was among the entries for Monday's Jameson Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

However, trainer Willie Mullins said yesterday: "We have detected a slight fracture in a front leg so he is going to be rested. The plan is to bring him back for a novice chasing campaign next season."

The news means that there will be no repeat in the Jameson of November's epic Fairyhouse finish between Alexander Banquet and Cardinal Hill who was yesterday confirmed as a runner.

"Plan A is to run him at Fairyhouse. He is in great form and came home from Cheltenham well, "said Cardinal Hill's trainer Noel Meade yesterday. "He didn't have a hard race there because he was out before it really started."

Celtic Giant, the 7 to 1 favourite with Hills for Monday's featured £125,000 Irish Grand National, is far from a certain runner in the race.

The Kim Muir winner's trainer Len Lungo said yesterday: "I don't see much point in travelling that distance if overnight rain turns the going against Celtic Giant. He must have it good to firm.

"I am interested instead in running him in the Scottish National or the John Hughes at Aintree or even the Foxhunters."

Another leading contender, last year's winner Bobbyjo, may also race in Saturday week's Aintree National. A decision on whether Foxchapel King takes his chance at Fairyhouse is expected today.

With all three of Richard Dunwoody's mounts failing Ascot yesterday, he still needs three more successes to pass Peter Scudamore's all-time record tally of 1,678