Secret Reprieve not heading to Cheltenham

Welsh National hero had novice entries at next week’s Festival.

Evan Williams has confirmed that Secret Reprieve will be an absentee at next week’s Cheltenham Festival.

The Welsh Grand National winner, who was achieving a lifetime ambition for his Glamorgan trainer when successful at Chepstow in January, has a tempting entry in the Aintree equivalent next month.

He held options before the Randox Grand National in both the National Hunt and Brown Advisory novice chases at Cheltenham – but they are no longer on his agenda this spring.

“He won’t go to Cheltenham,” said Williams.

“I will take him out of the Cheltenham races this week.”

Secret Reprieve is owned by William and Angela Rucker, for whom Williams has trained State Of Play and Cappa Bleu to be placed in previous Grand Nationals.

The seven-year-old is prominent in the ante-post betting, having been heavily backed for his impressive victory as the 5-2 favourite at Chepstow – where he was following up a wide-margin course success in the trial for that race.

Williams announced soon afterwards that Secret Reprieve would not take up his entry in last month’s Grand National Trial at Haydock, with later spring targets instead apparently in mind.

The hugely promising novice has risen a stone in the ratings for his two Chepstow handicap wins but is still currently due to carry just 10st 1lb at Aintree – and increasingly likely to make the cut for the race, should connections decide to head there.

On the subject of Aintree, Williams added: “The only thing I can categorically say is he will not go to Cheltenham.”

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