Jamie Snowden has been forced to draw stumps for the season with promising novice chaser Laurens Bay.
Last year’s European Breeders’ Fund Betfair ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Fianl hero had been on course for a tilt at the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
However, the Lambourn handler has had to shelve those plans after the seven-year-old, who has finished third on his last two starts having made a winning debut over them at Uttoxeter, picked up an infection in a hind leg.
But despite the Youmzain gelding suffering the setback Snowden has high hopes of him fulfilling his potential over fences next season.
Snowden said: “Laurens Bay is out for the season, but he will be back in the autumn. We discovered the problem last week and he is in the vets now. He got an infection in a hind suspensory, the same as Sir Gino. Touchwood the operation went well.
“He has only had three runs over fences which provides the nicely handicapped approach as you are unexposed. He would probably have an entry in the Coral Gold Cup. He is a proper stayer and hopefully he is a future Grand National horse.”
And Snowden will also have to make do without the services for the rest of the campaign with this season’s William Hill Grand Sefton Handicap Chase Colonel Harry.
The nine-year-old suffered an avulsion fracture after finishing down the field in the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
He added: "Unfortunately Colonel Harry will miss the rest of the season after he suffered an avulsion fracture.
“It is frustrating as he would have bean part of our Cheltenham Festival team.
“We will work back from the Grand National next season. He didn’t stay the three and a quarter mile trip in last season’s Coral Gold Cup, but he needed every yard of the two mile five furlong trip in the Grand Sefton and he took to the fences well.”
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