Sir Gino, who had been the odds-on favourite for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham next month since his brilliant chasing debut at Kempton’s Christmas meeting, has been ruled out for the remainder of the National Hunt season with an infection following a minor leg injury sustained during a routine piece of exercise last week.
Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old beat Ballyburn, one of the top novice hurdlers last season and a Grade One winner over fences since, with ease in December, prompting immediate comparisons with previous Arkle winners from the yard including Sprinter Sacre, Altior and Shishkin.
