The strength of Nicky Henderson's hurdling line-up at next month's Grand National meeting will be depleted by the absence of both Steal A March and Buzz, for whom the trip has come too soon.
Now carrying the famous purple, scarlet and gold silks of the King, Steal A March was a narrow runner-up on his seasonal bow in a decent Newbury handicap and then scored at Wincanton on Boxing Day.
The eight-year-old had given Henderson huge satisfaction by winning a lowly Worcester handicap hurdle on June 4, providing the Queen with a winner during her Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations, but he did not line up at Cheltenham and Henderson revealed he will not make the team for Aintree after a setback .
"Unfortunately we had a problem with him before Cheltenham and he is going to have to take a bit of time out, which is frustrating, because I was very, very keen to run him in the Pertemps Final," he said.
"He'd qualified, he won his qualifier and everything was going really well, but we have bumped into an issue, which is very frustrating and that was literally the week before.
"He won't go to Aintree or Punchestown, sadly."
Dual-purpose star Buzz won the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and Ascot Hurdle in quick succession in the autumn of 2021, but has been off the track since fracturing his pelvis the day before an intended outing in the Long Walk Hurdle.
Henderson felt a tilt at the Stayers' Hurdle would have been a bridge too far and similarly feels bypassing the Liverpool Hurdle allows the nine-year-old grey more time to return to peak fitness.
"We are working away with Buzz, I think really concentrating on a Flat campaign," said Henderson. "That would be the most likely scenario.
"He is not quite going to be ready for Aintree, anyway. It would be tough to throw him straight into a Grade One.
"So I think we will be looking, as long as the weather holds on for a bit in the summer, at the Flat.
"But he is in good form and it is great to have him back in action. He's enjoying himself, anyway."
