ROUGH QUEST has suffered a setback and may be forced to miss both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National, Terry Casey announced yesterday.
The trainer will review the condition of last year's Aintree winner in a week's time but admitted: "It is not looking very good at the moment."
Rough Quest was quoted at only 8 to 1 by William Hill to improve on last year's second place in the Gold Cup and was due to warm up over the course in Saturday's Pillar Properties Investments Chase.
But Casey said: "He has not even been entered for Saturday. He has a little bit of heat in his leg and we will have to take it easy with him for a few days.
"It's not a real `leg' just a bit of heat and it is in his good leg but any heat is serious and it will hold him up a little while and obviously threatens his participation in the Gold Cup.
"And it's not looking very good at the moment for the Grand National either."
Rough Quest, four lengths, second to Imperial Call at Cheltenham last March, has run only twice to date this term due to an earlier slight setback and the weather.
After winning a novice hurdle at Folkestone last month he went down by 12 lengths to One Man in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.
Leading bookmakers differed in their reaction to the news. William Hill removed Rough Quest from their Grand National betting but offer the gelding at 5 to 1 "with a run" for the Gold Cup, with Addington Boy and The Grey Monk both cut in price from 14 to 1 in to 12 to 1.
Both Coral and Ladbrokes have removed Rough Quest from their Gold Cup and National markets.
"The news about Rough Quest is very unfortunate. In terms of the Gold Cup betting it only serves to further stir up what are already very muddy waters," said Ladbrokes spokesman Ian Wassell.
. Cyborgo made a dream start to his fencing career when landing the Bet With the Tote Novices Chase attempt on Abbot yesterday with Tony McCoy in the saddle. Last term's Cheltenham Stayers Hurdle hero took a definite advantage four from home following some tidy jumping and ran on stoutly to record a 20 length success over Well Timed, much to the delight of Martin Pipe.
"He jumped well and we're really pleased with that," said the trainer. "The object was just to get round today as he wouldn't be fully wound up yet. Tony was over the moon about him saying he was very, very good. He's entered in all the big races at Cheltenham including the Gold Cup but for now we'll just look for another novice for him."
Pipe has been reported as saying Cyborgo is "my best chance yet of winning the Gold Cup," but he was playing his cards close to his chest about the gelding going for the big race in six weeks, for which he is quoted a 33 to 1 shot by Ladbrokes.
Cyborgo was the second leg of a 1,050 to 1 Pipe four timer as the champion trainer was also on the mark with Indian Arrow Maid Equal and Iranos.
