Danoli was today confirmed a non-runner in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, despite his apparent return to form on Saturday.
Tom Foley refused to be tempted to aim for the "blue riband" a fortnight on Thursday with his stable-star, who went down by just a length and half to His Song in a two-mile event at Naas.
He reckons an interrupted preparation would tell against his injury-hit gelding, whose reappearance this term was delayed until early this month.
"We would love to go for the Gold Cup but he hasn't had the preparation we would have wanted," the trainer said.
"It's no good being 100 per cent for the Gold Cup - you need to be 110 per cent.
"There is no point in going there and then making excuses.
"It's just a shame we couldn't get started with him back in October but he will have to miss the Gold Cup."
But Danoli has been given a clean bill of health after his Naas exertions, and he has a new target at Punchestown.
"He's good this morning and we are very happy with him," Foley said.
"We were very, very happy with him yesterday. Conditions weren't what he wanted and the trip wasn't so it was definitely very encouraging for him.
"He'll probably go for the Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown in April and he might run first at Navan, where there is a nice two-and-half-mile race on March 25th."
