West Wizard- AWOL

Owner Dai Walters is desperate for the ground to dry up so exciting novice hurdler West Wizard can have some much-needed practice before the Cheltenham Festival.

Winner of his sole bumper at Kempton last season, the Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old returned to the Sunbury venue in November for his hurdling debut, but was surprisingly turned over by Sgt Reckless as the 1-6 favourite.

"He's ready to rock and roll but the ground is just too bad at the moment," said Walters.

"He needs decent ground. He's far too good to risk on the ground we have at the moment so he won't run until it dries up.

"We think he's a top, top horse so we want to get it right.

"I spoke to Nicky on Sunday. He's happy that I agree with him that we don't run him on this ground.

"Hopefully, all we need is four or five dry days and the ground will sort itself out, but we're desperate to get a run into him."

Considering he was 8/1 favourite it has taken long enough for someone to ask the question.

Running out of time to get two runs in, so it is either an ordinary novice or they throw him in against winners. Neither would be anything like an ideal preparation.

I backed him ages ago but will be surprised if he even turns up.

Why does he need 2 runs?

He doesn't really but would probably be preferred for experience. If he gets out in next 7-10 days then he could easily has another mid feb. Spirit son didn't even make his debut until 14th jan in the year he was second

Exactly...I mean Alderbrook won the Champion Hurdle and made his debut in Feb.unreal..

What a ridiculous comparison - an ex-Flat horse against a horse who has just won a bumper and then flopped at odds in an ordinary novice hurdle. If he just wins a novice hurdle how many horses have won a Supreme off a similar preparation? I suspect very few.

Ideally he'd have a maiden hurdle soon and then a graded race before the supreme. Not sure now many 2m graded novice hurdles there are between now and chelt.

Im still hoping Golantilla makes it but looking very doubtful. Due to come out early feb apparently

Not quite sure what connections are on about. He won a bumper easily on soft ground then got turned over at 1/6 on his hurdles debut on good. That winner has hardly upheld the form. I know it looks a very open Supreme but there are a fair few that I would back before this one was on the radar.

Differentdrum...go and have a look at how many Supreme winners have had 2 runs over hurdles and get back to me...you are you saying that it is a harder task for a horse to win a Supreme with 2 runs than it is a horse to win a Champ with one run under its belt??

8 of last 22 Supreme winners no more than two runs over hurdles.

Captain Cee Bee, Ebaziyan, Sausalito Bay all examples of 2 runs without attempting graded races previously.

Let's just get the horse out and hopefully he hoses up and see whats what. At the moment on the form book he's no chance.

7 of last 9 had run at least three times over hurdles

Tory, rumour has it the Champion Bumper is under consideration for Golantilla.

Apologies for being thick here but how is that possible seeing now he won a bumper last January?

Don't think winning a bumper one season stops you from running in one the next season, didn't Rhythm Section run in the Festival bumper twice?

Don't have a clue to be honest. Would seem strange on two fronts with the latter being why the hell would connections want to?

He's 6 now and surely you don't spend £330k to go hurdling at 7 and chasing at 8!!

I think with RS it had already won it once and was going for the double and a bit of history, trying to remember now it might have had a layoff for a while too so circumstances were a bit unusual.

Agree about Golantilla though,doesn't make a lot of sense, if you pay the big money you'd think you want to crack on!

West Wizard remains a best priced 16/1 for the Supreme, but with the wet weather delaying his return, Walters has warned his charge will not line up if he is unable to run again between now and the Festival curtain-raiser on March 11.

"The horse that beat him at Kempton came out and won again the other day, so he is obviously a decent horse," said Walters.

"I think West Wizard will have to have a run if he is going to go to Cheltenham. I don't think it would be fair to take him otherwise.

"He's a class horse, we think he's going to be a top horse, but he has only just turned five and he's only a baby.

"We need the weather to improve if we're going to run him and if we're going to run, we want it to be in a decent race.

"There is no point going and winning a £2,000 maiden hurdle at this stage of the year.

"If he's not going to win a decent race, we might as well keep his novice status for next season."

Another to put a line through.

Yep,hoping for a free bet.
Don't want him running.

The horse is probably not 100%. All the rest is pretty much cobblers.

They had been waiting for the ground to dry out before running him. I'd say they're aiming at Kempton on 22nd to get a run into him if possible before Supreme. If he won neither he'd be kept as a novice for next season you'd imagine. Going on what Dai said today.

Wakey wakey Nicky - isn't it about time you confirmed he isn't going to run? Already some bookmakers are making the staggeringly bold decision of pushing him out to 20/1.

Josses Hill their No.1 Supreme horse now by the looks of it.

you would have thought it might have ran in 1 of them bumpers at kempton if the horse was right, i know it wouldnt be ideal going for the supreme with just 1 run but at least it would have got a run in !

One for next year now I think.  Please don't be another Mono Man from a couple of years ago!

Gutted because I had him at a big price because I doubled him up with MTOY in the Fighting Fifth

Next sat will be its last chance to get out

Will be next year ud think now - the way the weather is, there is gonna be no decent ground to av a run on

Agree with cufc, looks an ideal type for a jumpers for bumpers race, of which Nicky is clearly a fan.

Yeah Dai had said if they don't get a run into him in a good novice hurdle before cheltenham he'll be saved for next season. Said no point winning a 3k maiden hurdle and losing novice status for season

Nicky Henderson has ruled West Wizard out of his possible entry in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Dai Walters' gelding started the season as a leading contender in the betting after winning his debut in a bumper at Kempton last spring but was beaten by Sgt Reckless on his only start over hurdles back at the Sunbury course in November.

"We're going to leave him alone," Henderson said.

"He has just had issues. You could bring him back and win a novice in March somewhere, but there's no point in that."