LAST season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up The Giant Bolster will not run in the Argento Chase at the Festival trials day on Saturday.

Stow-on-the-Wold trainer David Bridgwater’s charge disappointed in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day but was to head back to the scene of his career-best performance this weekend.

However, the seven-year-old’s owner Simon Hunt said the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury next month, and a possible clash with Long Run, is now likely.

Hunt said: “The Giant Bolster skips the Argento Saturday and will prep for the Denman at Newbury. We want to have him spot-on for another crack at the Gold Cup.”

But former Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander is due to make his long-awaited return from injury for Naunton’s Nigel Twiston-Davies in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham.

Twiston-Davies’ Master Of The Sea, an 11-4 favourite, won the Higos Insurance Services Glastonbury Handicap Hurdle at Wincanton with Sam Twiston- Davies.

The New One is set to tackle Saturday’s Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham after winning at Warwick.

  • Temple Guiting trainer Jonjo O’Neill is favouring a trip to Ascot on Saturday, February 16, for Albertas Run rather than the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown the weekend before.

The 11-year-old won the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham Festival in 2010 and 2011. O’Neill said: “We put him in the Hennessy just as an option really as I want to get a run into him.”

Shutthefrontdoor, a 1-5 favourite, won the Higos Insurance Services Ltd Crewkerne ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle for O’Neill at Wincanton with Tony McCoy.

  • Young jockey Willy Twiston- Davies flew to Kempton for a triumph on Welsh Inlet (5-1) in the William Hill — No.1 Downloaded Betting App Handicap.

The son of trainer Nigel became available when Lingfield was called off and he pushed her out three-quartersof- a-length clear of Katmai River.