Windbeneathmywings will skip the Cheltenham Festival in favour of a crack at Punchestown this spring.
The lightly-raced six-year-old was among the market leaders for last season's Weatherbys Champion Bumper before being ruled out through injury and now trainer David Pipe has conceded defeat in getting him qualified for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle in a little over two weeks' time.
A change to the rules for this year's Cheltenham Festival means that novices need to have had at least one start over obstacles in order to meet the qualification criteria, and Pipe has run out of time.
A trip to Ireland and a bumper at Punchestown will be given serious consideration instead, in order to keep the son of Free Eagle's novice hurdle status intact until the following campaign.
Pipe said in a statement posted on the stable's social media account: "Windbeneathmywings will not be running at the Cheltenham Festival.
"While in good form at home, we have run out of time to run him in a qualifying hurdle race before the Supreme this year.
"We will now keep him as novice for next season and aim for the champion bumper at Punchestown."
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