Haiti Couleurs heads to the Denman Chase at Newbury next weekend after his name did not appear among the entries for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup on Saturday.
After claiming victory on his last voyage across the Irish Sea in the Irish Grand National, he has since added the Welsh version to his growing record.
Coach Rebecca Curtis would have liked to take on the home team’s best players at Leopardstown, but a combination of circumstances led to a change of heart.
Curtis told the Press Association: “It was a difficult decision but it turned out there were too many negative aspects to taking over from him.
“First he was off antibiotics for a few days at the beginning of the week, a very minor sinus problem, which was really nothing, that wasn’t our main problem.
“They canceled our local ferry from the nearest port in Fishbourne which would have meant a big walk to Holyhead and then on to Dublin.
“Thirdly, there was the uncertainty about the ground. They will expect more rain again, because they have already been soaked once this week, so there is a good chance that the ground will be heavy. We don’t know whether that will be the case.
“If the Gold Cup is his main goal, we didn’t think everything was in order for a good preparation for that, so we will now definitely take him to the Denman in Newbury next Saturday.”
She added: “He’s doing well, there are no problems, but you have to have everything aligned to be at your best at Cheltenham and we didn’t think that would happen. As we used it as preparation we didn’t think it was ideal, only six weeks away from Cheltenham.”
A total of 13 have been declared, of which Willie Mullins has eight, including Galopin Des Champs.
Paul Townend maintains his partnership with the three-time winner, while Mark Walsh has chosen Fact To File over last season’s Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin, who will be ridden by Keith Donoghue.
Jack Kennedy will ride Mullins’ 2024 Grand National winner I Am Maximus, making Haiti Couleurs regular jockey Sean Bowen the partner of Gordon Elliott’s Firefox.
Gaelic Warrior, Spindleberry, Champ Kiely, Grangeclare West and Lecky Watson are also in the running for champion trainer Mullins.
Noel Meade’s Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Monty’s Star complete the field.
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