James Fanshawe fears The Toiseach may have suffered a recurrence of wind problems when flopping in the Stakis Westgate Casino Great Yorkshire Chase, he admitted yesterday.

He has put all plans on hold for the gelding, sent off a well-backed 5 to 2 favourite for Saturday's Doncaster feature but pulled up before the sixth-last fence.

Veterinary checks are likely to determine whether The Toiseach can fulfil his engagements in the Cheltenahm Gold Cup and Martell Grand National.

"He's fine today but we will get him checked over tomorrow," Fanshawe said. "When we scoped him a week ago his lungs were clean but he made a noise after the first fence yesterday.

"He was hobdayed as a four-year-old and everything is on hold now - the main thing is to find out what the problem is."

The Toiseach looked set for a good season after a winning reappearance at Ascot in November but he was pulled up in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury a week later and was having his first run since on Saturday.