Ambobo - will miss the Festival (Getty Images).

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There's been another hammer blow for ante-post racing punters with the news that Ambobo, favourite for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle, has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival after suffering a setback.

The five-year-old was one of 38 confirmed for Wednesday's Grade One contest but has now been declared a non-runner due a leg problem.

"He is lame on his right front joint. We have had it X-rayed and that didn't show up anything, but he is not 100 per cent so he can't run," said Herve Barjot, spokesman for owner Sean Mulryan.

"We will do more tests next week to find out what is wrong, but he should be able to run again this season and we might be able to get him to Aintree."

Ambobo shot to prominence for the Festival after powering home at Cheltenham to easily land a Grade Two event in January, when he had the smart Brewster and Mephisto in second and third.

It's the latest setback for punters after leading candidates Best Mate, Ollie Magern and Kauto Star were scratched from the meeting in recent weeks.

Ambobo was as low as 7-2 for the SunAlliance but in his absence Gold Medallist has taken over as favourite at as short as 3-1 with Skybet, Stan James and Sporting Odds.