Bailey rules Imperial Aura out of Paddy Power

Keith Hamer
November 5, 2020 10:57 am

Exciting chaser will also miss Ladbrokes Trophy – with Ascot or Huntingdon preferred.

Kim Bailey has ruled Imperial Aura out of both the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Ladbrokes Trophy.

Imperial Aura was a leading fancy for the big handicap at Cheltenham after his emphatic win at in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on Sunday – but Bailey feels next week’s race will come too soon.

The Gloucestershire trainer has announced he will not run Imperial Aura in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury on November 28 either. He does, however, have a couple of races in mind for the exciting seven-year-old – who ended the last campaign with victory in the novices’ handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Bailey wrote on his website: “The weights for the Ladbroke Chase came out yesterday. We have three entries – Imperial Aura, who will not run, while Vinndication and Two For Gold will remain in the race for the foreseeable future so that we can asses how they have come out of the respective races last weekend.

“Imperial Aura will not be running in the Paddy Power at Cheltenham next weekend. It is too soon after his stunning win last Sunday at Carlisle.

“There are other races for him that might suit – Ascot on the 21st of November, the Chanelle Pharma Chase, and then there is the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on December 6.”