Henry Daly’s Hillcrest has been ruled out for the whole of the National Hunt season due to an injury setback.

The seven-year-old became a firm favourite when campaigned over hurdles last season, winning each race he completed before pulling up when looking out of sorts in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.

A chasing career was always the aim for the gelding, who is a towering son of Stowaway, but indications of an injury have caused Daly to back off him for the 2022-23 campaign.

“He will not be running this season. We did a couple of bits of work with him 10 days ago, he had a bit of heat in his leg so we’ve decided to stop with him and give him a year off,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“The trouble is he is so big, it can be a problem and it has proved to be thus.

“Time is, with most things, a great healer. That’s what we’re aiming for.

“It is, to say the least, fairly mortifying.

“There’s no point crying about it now, it’s happened, we’ll move on, give him the time and hope he’s better for next season.”