Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree is progressing well from a leg injury but will not feature at Cheltenham next month.
It is the second season running the 10-year-old will miss The Festival but he is on the road to recovery following a leg injury and connections have said they are optimistic he will return before the end of the season at Aintree or Punchestown.
Speaking at Ludlow on Wednesday, Sara Bradstock said: “It’s all going very very well. Everything’s going to plan. He’s doing a lot of work.
“The hope is he gets the all-clear to go cantering next week. He’s still in one piece and he will be back.”
The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner has only had two races since that tremendous effort, his most recent being at Haydock in November when he was second to Cue card in the Betfair Chase.
Despite Coneygree’s absence, the team may still be represented at Cheltenham next month by his eight-year-old younger brother, Flintham.
Will Flintham be able to step up in one of the biggest week’s of the racing calendar? If you’re after some advice, why not have a look at some Cheltenham tips