Well Chief out for season..

[alexmac]

From the EXCELLENT RP website...

WELL CHIEF, the last member of the Holy Trinity of top two-mile chasers still in training, was ruled out for the season on Sunday with a leg injury. The news was a major blow to the David Pipe yard, where Well Chief was being prepared for a seasonal debut in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday. The 2004 Arkle Chase winner was a leading fancy for the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March but those dreams have been ended by heat in the horse's leg. Pipe said: "He worked on Saturday and the head lad wasn't happy so we had a look at him on Saturday evening. "The vet confirmed the problem this morning so he's out for the season. "He's sound, but it's the start of something so you have to stop." Well Chief suffered a similar injury after defeating Azertyuiop in the Celebration Chase at Sandown in April 2005 and endured a 22-month spell on sidelines. He returned to action with a clinical triumph in the Game Spirit Chase last season but fellafter two fences in the Champion Chase, for which he was the even-money favourite in the absence of his two great rivals, Azertyuiop and Moscow Flyer. Well Chief was as low as 6-1 to atone for that jumping error in next year's renewal of the 2m showpiece. Blue Square now make last year's Champion Chase hero Voy Por Ustedes the 11-4 market leader from 4-1 to retain his title. Twist Magic is the 4-1 second favourite, while My Way De Solzen has been cut to 8-1 (from 10). A winner of seven Graded races, including the Arkle three years ago, Pipe's heavyweight was last seen finishing third to Monet's Garden in the Melling Chase in April. News of his absence will be a setback for the holders of 10,115 entries in the Tote/Racing Post £1million Ten To Follow Competition. A lifeline awaits, however, in the form of the January substitution window. The Tingle Creek Chase suffered another casualty on Sunday night when Philip Hobbs revealed Fair Along would have to miss the race after failing to recover in time from a minor setback. The five-year-old, who took the scalp of My Way De Solzen in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at the corresponding fixture in 2006, has picked up an infection in a hind leg. Hobbs said: "The infection prevented him running in the Peterborough Chase and I'm afraid it will also rule him out of Sandown. Unfortunately the Tingle Creek will come too soon." Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is set to be represented by Twist Magic and Hoo La Baloo at Sandown. Nicholls said of Twist Magic: "He is an intended runner on Saturday unless it is absolutely bottomless, but I have not seen the forecast. "This race has been the target all along. He worked yesterday and I was very pleased with him." Hobbs will introduce his promising novice Pancake to fences in the Henry VIII on the same Sandown card. Pancake won three of his five hurdling starts†last season after joining Hobbs from France and his trainer said: "Pancake wants soft ground and finished last season amongst the top league juvenile hurdlers. He's a very big horse by Cyborg and hopefully those hurdles wins were a bonus, as he's schooled well."

[stewartd14]

Re: Well Chief out for season.. FFS :@:@:@ Another one ..... :sad