Edwardstone set to miss out on sixth straight Festival appearance

Stable stalwart Edwardstone is unlikely to be part of Alan King’s Cheltenham Festival squad this season after suffering a setback.

The 11-year-old has run at the showpiece meeting at Prestbury Park in each of the past five years and enjoyed Festival success when landing the Arkle Trophy in 2022.

Despite his advancing years, Edwardstone has been running well in defeat for much of this season, picking up minor honours behind star two miler Jonbon in the Shloer Chase and the Clarence House Chase, as well as finishing second to Soul Icon under a big weight in the Desert Orchid.

However, he was a disappointing last of five when bidding for back-to-back wins in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury three weeks ago and has since been in veterinary care, meaning he is almost certain to sidestep Cheltenham entries in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Grand Annual.

“I don’t think he’ll be there unfortunately, he’s literally just come back from the vets this afternoon,” King said on Thursday.

“He got a little bit of an infection in a hind leg and we just struggled to get on top of it. He’s been at the vets since last Friday and has just got back.

“I don’t think it’s quite as severe as what Sir Gino got, but it was nasty. Sometimes they get these bugs and they seem to be almost resistant to the antibiotics these days.”

Despite Edwardstone’s anticipated absence, King is preparing a small team for the Prestbury Park jamboree as he looks to add to his Festival tally of 16 winners.

“We’ll probably have four or five runners,” he added.

“Masaccio, Grandeur d’Ame, Harbour Lake, possibly Favour And Fortune depending on how he gets on in the Morebattle at Kelso on Saturday, and Es Perfecto is there, but it’s not looking like he’ll get in at the moment. We’ll know a bit more at the confirmation stage, but he’s a long way down the list.

“I think Masaccio will go two-and-a-half in the novice handicap, as I just worry three-mile-one in the Ultima is probably stretching him too much, but we’ll see.”