Paris Pike, one of England`s leading novice chasers of the 1999/2000 campaign, is unlikely to run this season, it was revealed today.
The Scottish Grand National winner suffered a tendon injury at his trainer Ferdy Murphy`s West Witton base this week.
'It`s not a big problem,' Murphy told the Racing Channel. 'It`s not to say he`ll be out for the season but he`ll definitely be out for the first half of it.
'He`s got a little shadow on a scan we did on Wednesday.
'We had a chat with Simon Stirk our vet and he said it`s 60-40 against him breaking down if we go on with him or if we run him. The Major (Ivan Straker, Paris Pike`s owner) doesn`t want to take that chance which I`m delighted about.
'We are just going to chip away with him and keep him on light hand exercise for two months and then scan him again. It`s a possibility he won`t run again this season - we`ll decide after the scan.
'We are not going that far to do any damage to the horse and he`ll be back next year.
'It`s great to have an owner like the Major whose in no hurry with the horse. Paris Pike is only an eight-year-old.'
Murphy had sensed something was amiss when Paris Pike came in after being turned out in a paddock.
'We knew he wasn`t himself so we erred to the caution and had the scan done,' explained Murphy.
'He may have done it in the field on Wednesday. He walked in a bit lame and just wasn`t right.
'It looked as though he had been rolling and might have caught his tendon getting up.'
Paris Pike was being aimed at the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup in March but connections will probably have to wait until next season now.
Murphy added: 'The plan is still the Gold Cup. He`ll retain his ability and he`s done nothing to blunt his speed.
'We took our time with him last season and he did well so we`ll take our time with him again and get it right.'
Straker is resigned to the gelding not appearing in the current campaign.
He said: 'We are lookingto next year and what Ferdy and the vet say goes but I can`t see him coming back this season.
'It`s not a career-threatening injury but any tendon injury is bad. I understand the tendon is only 20% damaged.'
Ladbrokes quote Paris Pike at 25-1 for this term`s Martell Grand National.
