Stage Affair was today ruled out of the Smurfit Champion Hurdle - which is sponsored by his owner.
The promising six-year-old will take on Istabraq in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown a week on Sunday but his Cheltenham Festival target is to be the Capel Cure Sharp Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
Trainer Dermot Weld said: "Stage Affair is a definite runner in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 23rd and Tony McCoy will ride.
"The experience against horses like Limestone Lad and Istabraq should be of enormous benefit to him and I am really looking forward to the race.
"As for Cheltenham however the novice hurdle is the target and I have no jockey booked at present."
Stage Affair won his fist four starts over hurdles this term but went down by three lengths to Moscow Flyer when 4-11 favourite to maintain his unbeaten record at Fairyhouse in November.
He had been quoted at 25-1 for the Champion Hurdle by Ladbrokes,
