3 minute read

Monbeg Genius will miss his intended engagement in the Coral Welsh National after suffering a foot abscess.

The Jonjo O'Neill-trained runner went into many notebooks for the marathon staying chase following an eye-catching third in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, but he failed to feature in the twenty-two confirmations on Thursday afternoon following a small setback.

An understandably frustrated Jonjo O'Neill said: "He's got an abscess, so he won't be ready in time, unfortunately,"

"He did pick up a few cuts at Newbury, but it's nothing to do with them, they'd all cleared up. If it's not one thing, it's another thing.

"It's very annoying but when they are not right you can't run them. He'll be all right but it's just the wrong time.

"Unfortunately, I didn't tell him he was running!

"We might have a look at the Classic Chase at Warwick or the race at Lingfield (Fleur de Lys Chase). I'm not really thinking to be honest; I just want to get him back."

The Jackdaws Castle-based handler still looks likely to be represented as Iron Bridge is expected to take up his engagement at Chepstow rather than head to Wetherby's Rowland Meyrick Chase on Boxing Day.

O'Neil added: "He'll go to Chepstow all being well. I put him in at Wetherby because you never know with the weather and one thing or another, but Chepstow was always the plan,"

"He didn't run great the last day; it was maybe a combination of the trip being a bit sharp on decent ground.

"He seems in good form at home, but you'd have liked to get a proper run into him beforehand, it's a big race. He's as good as we can have him without another run, so we'll take our chance."

The Jamie Snowden-trained Super Survivor now heads the market at a general 9/2.