The ante-post favourite Commanche Court will not run in tomorrow's Ladbroke Hurdle at Leopardstown.
The five-year-old disappointed trainer Ted Walsh in a work out yesterday morning and Walsh decided to take him out of the first big handicap of the year.
"He was a bit flat in his work and didn't sparkle like he should have. The blood tests are fine but while I've seen horses work well before a big race and then run badly, I've never seen a horse work moderately and then win," Walsh said.
Commanche Court could still be aimed at the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury on February 14th and will also be entered for both the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham.
"The Tote Gold Trophy is five weeks away. We will see how he is in a week to 10 days time and take it from there. He doesn't appear to be suffering from anything. He had been 100 per cent before today," added Walsh.
Commanche Court had dominated all the pre-race publicity as Walsh set about finding a big name rider to replace the suspended Norman Williamson. Only on Wednesday he booked Charlie Swan for the mount but now the Irish champion is to switch back to Toast The Spreece.
"That's racehorses for you," reflected Swan. "More than likely I will ride Toast The Spreece. I will probably choose him over Theatreworld. That one was second in the Champion Hurdle but it will be hard to win the Ladbroke off 12st."
Commanche Court was removed from all ante-post lists with Ladbrokes refunding any bets struck on the favourite from Monday. Ladbrokes spokesman Mike Dillon said: "I feel very sorry for connections of Commanche Court because they had targetted the race since the summer. He had been a heavily backed horse."
Graphic Equaliser was promoted to 9 to 2 favourite from British challengers Top Cees on 8 to 1 and Sharpical on 10 to 1.
In other Ladbroke news, the English raider Tibetan will be ridden by Peter Niven. Trainer Lady Herries confirmed the booking yesterday and Niven will ride the horse even if Richard Dunwoody becomes available should Sandown be called off.
Tom Jenks who won the Welsh Grand National on Earth Summit has come in for another big race ride in Moorish in tomorrow's big race. Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "He is in very good form and I was pleased with his second to Princeful last time as Princeful is a very well handicapped horse."
There will be a 7.30 precautionary inspection of the chase track at Leopardstown this morning to see if the two steeplechase races scheduled for tomorrow can go ahead. The hurdles track, however, is reported to be safe for racing.
If the chase track is unfit, the Pierse Leopardstown Chase and the Fitzpatrick Hotel Novices Chase will be deleted from the programme and the Conlon and Sons Handicap Hurdle will be divided to make a six-race programme.
Course spokesman Tom Burke said yesterday: "There is a reasonable chance of us racing on the chase track. It's raceable today and while the forecast is for rain, it's not supposed to be as bad as we've had. We're making contingency plans though in case the rain is worse than forecast. We don't foresee any problems with the hurdles track."
Provided it goes ahead, BBC 1 will show three races on Grandstand - the 1.15, 1.50 and 2.25.
Gowran Park's Thyestes Chase will be sponsored for the second successive year by Burger King.
