Connections are confident Exotic Dancer will be able to take his place in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup despite last year's runner-up suffering a setback.
The eight-year-old, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, has been found to have pulled a ligament in his back.
Although the injury has caused him to miss Saturday's Letheby And Christopher Chase at Cheltenham, which he won 12 months ago, it is reported to be only a minor problem.
'I have just returned from Jonjo O'Neill's yard this morning and the vet has found that Exotic Dancer has pulled a ligament in his back,' confirmed Barry Simpson, racing manager to owner Sir Robert Ogden, in a statement issued to PA Sport.
'This has caused some bleeding which formed a haematoma. This subsequently put pressure on a nerve which caused him to be so sore.
'The good news is that this is a relatively minor problem and will not hinder his prospects of running in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival meeting.
'And we hope to have a run before the Gold Cup, but as you would imagine it is impossible to say when this will be, but it will be as soon as possible.'
