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Trainer Paul Webber has revealed favourite Time for
Rupert will miss the Argento Chase at Pretsbury Park on Cheltenham Festival
Trials Day. Instead he will bypass Sunday’s race and go straight into the
Cheltenham Festival in March after Webber reported he was feeling unwell
ahead of the race.
Plans for him to run in the race were scrapped after tests showed his white
blood cell count was high. After being prescribed a course of antibiotics he
will now rest up before being aimed at the famous festival.
Time for Rupert was second to Big Buck's in the World Hurdle at the 2010
Festival and is unbeaten in his two starts over fences. Bookmakers will look
to him as the favourite for the RSA Chase, which will run on the second day
of the festival. Despite having his preparations for that race disrupted,
Webber was pleased to have found the problem before any damage to his
reputation was done. He said: “It is disappointing to have to miss the race,
but it is not as disappointing as it would have been had he run when not at
his best.”
“It's much better that we found out before the race and saved the betting
public losing any money and ourselves the disappointment of a bad
performance” he added.
Nicky Henderson’s Punchestown will now be installed as the favourite for the
Argento Chase, will Tidal Bay and Neptune Collonges will also feature
heavily in the
sports
betting prior to the race.
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