WYE Valley trainer Venetia Williams has decided not to run stable star L'Homme Presse in Friday’s Gold Cup (4pm) at the Cheltenham Festival after what she termed "a troubling week".

But she says the ten-year-old - who was expected to lead the British challenge against the likes of two-time Irish-trained champion Galopin Des Champs in the premier National Hunt chase – could still be a candidate for next month's Randox Grand National at Aintree.

The horse , winner of the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January, was fourth in last year’s Gold Cup after heading the field two from home when hit and injured by a rival horse.

And Kings Caple-based Williams, who famously trained 100-1 National winner Mon Mome in 2009, said at the weekend: "We've just had a little bit of a problem in the last two days, so we're not going to Cheltenham.

"He seems good today, but he's missed a few days of work and it's not the right preparation for the Gold Cup.

"All being well we'll try and go to Aintree, where he could go for the Grand National."

Stablemate Royale Pagaille, two-time winner of the usually muddy Betfair Chase at Haydock, and sixth in the Gold Cup in 2023, could still contest the Festival showcase for a fourth time though.

"He's best on ground he's not going to have, but he's run in three Gold Cups and has picked up minor places. We might let him go there again," she said.

Venetia’s Djelo, winner of £80,000 races the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon and the Denman Chase at Newbury this season under stable jockey Charlie Deutsch, is entered in the Queen Mother Champion Chase (4pm) on Wednesday, but will probably contest the two and half mile Ryanair Chase on Thursday (3.20pm)..

Victtorino, fresh from victory by a nose in Ascot’s £100,000 Betfair Swinley Handicap Chase, also looks a decent punt in today’s (Tuesday, March 11) Ultima Chase (2.20pm).