Disappointment for Russell as Bialco withdrawn from Swedish Champion Hurdle

Lucinda Russell's hopes of adding the Swedish Champion Hurdle to her CV were dashed when Bialco had to be withdrawn from the race due to a temperature.

The Iben and Morten Buskop-owned seven-year-old will now return to his owners' stud, having been denied the chance to contest the race at Stromsholm.

"He had a bit of a temperature so we couldn't risk running him," explained Peter Scudamore, Russell's partner and assistant.

"It's not the end of the world but he will now go back to the owners' stud in Denmark."

Scudamore added that Russell, who has trained a Swedish National winner for the owner, had entered Bialco in the contest over hurdles, instead of the nation's National, due to the particularly quick ground.

"We've won the Swedish National for the owner but had decided to run Bialco in this [Swedish Champion Hurdle]," said Scudamore.

Russell, who won the Grand National last year with One for Arthur, has experienced an eventful seven days having received an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List last weekend.

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