Willie Mullins has been forced to rule JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Narciso Has out of the Cheltenham Festival with a setback.
Owned by JP McManus, the juvenile has won two of his three starts for Mullins, oozing class on his most recent outing at the Dublin Racing Festival in Grade One company when beating stablemate Selma De Vary.
He had been one of the shortest-priced favourites of the meeting at around 11-8, but his position at the head of the betting has now been taken by Selma De Vary, with another Mullins inmate Proactif, also owned by McManus, not far behind.
"He has met with a setback and unfortunately misses Cheltenham," Mullins told Sporting Life.
"We will have to see what it means for the remainder of the season, but for now he's not going to make the trip to Cheltenham."
