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Cheltenham Festival: Injury forces Old Guard out of Champion Hurdle

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Old Guard

Old Guard (noseband): had been a 20-1 shot for the Champion Hurdle

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

 By Peter Scargill 6:50PM 13 MAR 2016 

TRAINER Paul Nicholls has suffered a blow with less than 48 hours to go until the Cheltenham Festival after being forced to withdraw his Stan James Champion Hurdle hope Old Guard from the race due to injury.

The five-year-old had been one of 13 horses declared on Sunday to run in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday despite working “absolutely dire” on Saturday according to Nicholls.

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Old Guard also returned “very slightly stiff behind” after exercising on Sunday, although Nicholls had planned to assess the horse and his chances of making Cheltenham after he schooled over eight hurdles on Monday morning.

However, Nicholls was forced to admit defeat on Sunday evening and said on Twitter: “Sadly Old Guard is sore this evening and will not run in the Champion Hurdle [on] Tuesday. Will try to get him ready for Aintree.”

Old Guard, who landed the Greatwood Hurdle and International Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier in the season, was a general 20-1 chance for the Champion Hurdle.

The Champion Hurdle has already suffered a number of defections this season with last year’s winner Faugheen and Arctic Fire missing the race due to injury.

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