Last season's Christie's Foxhunter Chase winner Castle Mane will not bid for a repeat in this year's race, it was announced today.
Castle Mane, who also won at Punchestown last term and was at one time as quoted as short as 20-1 for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, has disappointed on his two starts this term.
He has been undergoing tests since going down by 13 lengths to Real Value at Newbury last Friday and his trainer Caroline Bailey said: "He won't be going to Cheltenham.
"The muscle enzyme in his blood is all wrong and he won't run for a month.
"It's nothing serious but will require some treatment. He'll have some alkaline syrups and vitamins and hopefully he'll be back later in the season."
Mrs Bailey will now be represented by Gunner Welburn in the big race on Thursday week.
"Gunner Welburn is fine and in good order and will run in the Foxhunter," the trainer said.
"Ben Pollock will ride because Gunner Welburn's usual jockey Rowan Cope has broken his collar-bone. Rowan is bitterly disappointed at missing out on Cheltenham."
Pollock said of Castle Mane: "I'm relieved really because he was so flat. It might sound a bit odd but I was rather glad there's something wrong with him.
"He's a top-class horse, he proved that last year and he's just come back and hasn't fired this year.
"I know him well enough to know the sparkle had gone I'm just glad something has come to light to justify the reason why and now we can rectify that and go on from there whereas if there isn't a problem - it's the mind or something - it's a bit trickier."
Pollock is looking forward to partnering Gunner Welburn.
"Delighted to get back on him," he told the Racing Channel. "I've gone from doing a sunshine dance to doing a rain dance because I think he's a better horse on soft ground."
