Coneygree out of The Hennessy

Weights and prices shuffled after co-favourite fails fitness test

CONEYGREE has failed his ‘fitness test and has been ruled out of Saturday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

Trainer Mark Bradstock took the decision after jockey Nico de Boinville put the horse through a schooling session this morning (Tuesday), but they have decided not to run the horse in the wake of the injury caused by throwing a shoe in a work-out last week.

Last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was the 7-2 joint favourite for the £200,000 showpiece to the three-day bet365 Festivaland topped the weights at 11 stone 12 pounds.

That leaves Paukl Nicholls’ Saphir Du Rheu as market leader as the race is likely to be opened up to others as weights will rise by nine pound, meaing no runners will be racing from out of the handicap.

Nicky Henderson’s Bobs Worth awaits his rider after his return to form and Alan King’s Smad Place will fancy a good run.