Albert Bartlett favourite Blazing Khal to miss Cheltenham

Charles Byrnes’ six-year-old has shone in two wins at Prestbury Park this season.

Charles Byrnes has announced that ante-post Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle favourite will miss the race due to a setback.

The six-year-old has won all of his three races over hurdles this season, with the last two coming at Cheltenham.

He stepped up to three miles in the most recent of those and comfortably saw off Paul Nicholls’ Gelino Bello for a second time.

That saw him harden into the general 4-1 market leader for the Albert Bartlett, but Byrnes said on Twitter that he would miss an intended appearance at both the Dublin Racing Festival and Cheltenham, with the hope he makes Punchestown.

He wrote: “Unfortunately Blazing Khal has had a minor setback in his training and won’t be taking up his engagement at the DRF @LeopardstownRC and @CheltenhamRaces also coming too soon. He will be aimed towards @punchestownrace later in the spring.”

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