Grand National aim for Presenting Percy, one of 12 scratched from Gold Cup

Presenting Percy is the headline name among 12 horses to have been scratched from the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Gordon Elliott opting to give the dual Cheltenham Festival winner more time to recover from a leg infection prior to a Randox Grand National bid.

The ten-year-old, who won the 2018 RSA Insurance Novices' Chase and beat Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup winner Kemboy at Thurles this season, had been a general 25-1 shot for the festival showpiece. He is the same price with Betfred and William Hill to land the Grand National.

Previously trained by Pat Kelly, the Philip Reynolds-owned chaser joined Gordon Elliott this season and failed to fire when last seen in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December, with a number of the stable's high-profile runners below their best over the festive period.

Presenting Percy: impressed when landing the Listed Boomerang.ie Chase at Thurles in NovemberCredit: Patrick McCann

"He's obviously in the Grand National at Aintree," said Elliott. "He just got a bit of an infection in a leg and we missed a couple of weeks with him. That meant that Cheltenham was just coming too soon for him."

He added of the potential for Presenting Percy to run before the Aintree highlight on April 10: "We'll see how he is over the coming weeks."

Elliott still has Delta Work in contention for Cheltenham's most coveted prize despite admitting to being a little underwhelmed by his never-dangerous third in Sunday's Irish Gold Cup.

Cheltenhham Gold Cup entries

"I was a little disappointed, we might take the hood off him the next day," he said.

"It looked as though he was a little behind the bridle. We'll see how he is, but the Gold Cup is still on the agenda."

He added of admirable Irish Gold Cup second The Storyteller, who took his career earnings close to €500,000 with a terrific effort behind Kemboy: "He's a horse of a lifetime, we could do with a few more like him!

"The Stayers' Hurdle is the plan for him, he's won and finished second around the New course at Cheltenham."

Elliott indicated the National Hunt Chase is "on the agenda" for talented novice chaser Escaria Ten, who is unlikely to take up his engagement in the Paddy Power Warwick Castle Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

Another Grade 1 winner to have been removed from the Gold Cup reckoning is Clarence House Chase third Waiting Patiently, whose trainer Ruth Jefferson will instead aim him at Aintree's National meeting in April.

Jefferson said: "I took him out of the Champion Chase ages ago and I've now taken him out of the Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup. Thinking about it, we felt the King George wasn't the fastest run three-mile race in the world, so maybe the Gold Cup wasn't the right option.

Waiting Patiently: will skip the Cheltenham Festival after latest Ascot outingCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"And, after his last race, he was going to need a little bit of veterinary attention, so we thought we'd leave him for Aintree. He's not had an issue as such, but the longer between his Clarence House run and his next run the better."

Others to have been scratched include Bristol De Mai, for whom it was confirmed a National bid is on the agenda, as well as Lake View Lad, Terrefort and Acapella Bourgeois.

Al Boum Photo remains the general 3-1 Gold Cup favourite, heading other market principals A Plus Tard, Royale Pagaille, Champ and Native River.

Read more . . .

Tom Segal's ante-post Pricewise verdict on the Gold Cup

'Take her on' – eight favourites to focus on at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival

'All roads lead to Cheltenham' – Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo passes Tramore test

Reliving the RSA: how Champ defied reality to surge past Minella Indo and Allaho

Check out the Racing Post Cheltenham Festival microsite for the latest tips and odds for every race at the festival. The best Cheltenham betting advice and exclusive free betting offers all in one place.