Go Native out until next season while Christmas racing remains doubtful

Noel Meade’s Go Native has been ruled out for racing until next season due to the injury he picked up in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

Last year’s Christmas Hurdle winner at Kempton will not be in contention for any prize on St Stephen’s Day, while Kauto Star gets ready to attempt a fifth King George VI Chase win on the trot.

"We weren't happy with him after he came back into work and decided not to continue," Meade said.

"He will hopefully be back next season when the plan will be the Champion Hurdle again."

It is still a major doubt that racing will get the go-ahead due to the severe weather conditions. National Hunt racing on turf in Britain or Ireland this side of Christmas is extremely doubtful and the card at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day was trading at odds-on to be abandoned on Betfair today.

The King George declarations include three stablemates of Kauto Star from Paul Nicholls' Somerset yard in What A Friend, who is part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, The Nightingale and Noland.

Nicky Henderson seems to offer the main challenge to Nicholls's domination of the race, with Long Run, Burton Port and Riverside Theatre, a three-time winner at Kempton, all still entered,

The two possible challengers from Ireland are Henry de Bromhead’s Sizing Europe and Willie Mullins’ Forpadydeplasterer.