TRAINER Aidan O'Brien and owner John Nallen were last night fully exonerated by a Jockey Club inquiry into the withdrawal of Hotel Minella at this year's Cheltenham Festival.

The disciplinary committee's inquiry, delayed three hours by the fact that John Nallen was late, found O'Brien and Nallen not to be in breach of rules 144 (i) and 220 (iii) when taking Hotel Minella out of the Coral Hurdle after being declared to run having been declared under rule 124 (ii) on March 13th.

Chairman of the committee, Anthony Mildmay White, said. "Having considered the evidence, including statements from Mr O'Brien and Mr Nallen, the committee found them not to be in breach of either of the two rules."

Nallen was delighted with the outcome but said. "We were always confident of the right result here, but hopefully we won't be back to the Jockey Club in a hurry."

O'Brien added. "We are very relieved with the outcome and my wife, Anne Marie, is due to have a baby this evening so I just want to get home as quick as possible."

The pair were referred to Portman Square by the Cheltenham stewards after O'Brien's withdrawal of Hotel Minella from the Coral Cup at the Festival meeting in March.

The gelding finished ninth in the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the fixture and was pulled out of the following day's Coral Cup on the morning of the race.

Hotel Minella's declaration under top weight for the £40,000 added handicap stopped the weights rising at the overnight stage and left Is of the 23 runners out of the handicap proper, prompting suggestions which O'Brien strenuously denied he had been left in to benefit others at the top of the weights.

The Cheltenham stewards held an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his withdrawal and referred the matter on after failing to accept explanations from O'Brien and Nallen.

. Lorcan Wyer will miss the rest of the jumps season through injury. X-rays at the Perth Royal Infirmary revealed that the jockey had broken his collar bone.