Soul Icon set to swerve Imperial Cup

Trainer Keiran Burke feels soft ground is against stable star.

Wintry weather has ruled Soul Icon out of a tilt at the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday.

The six-year-old has won seven of his last eight races, starting his winning streak rated 73 at Huntingdon and winning most recently in a Cheltenham handicap off a mark of 117.

He was due to run off 127 on Saturday on his intended comeback run after 141 days off the track, but the weather has scuppered that plan with sleet and heavy rain falling over Esher and leaving conditions unsuitably testing.

“We’ve decided he won’t go and that’s because of the ground,” said trainer Keiran Burke.

“It’s only going to get worse so we’re definitely not going to run, the weather will leave the ground too soft for him.”

A run in The Abersoch Land and Sea Handicap Hurdle at Aintree is the plan now and Burke may seek out another suitable race beforehand.

He said: “We’ll definitely go to the boys’ race at Aintree with him and we might try and sneak another run into him beforehand but I’m not sure where yet, that’s all a bit up in the air at the minute.”

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