Heart problem means top prospect Bright Forecast won't be seen until 2020

Ben Pauling's difficult start to the season received another blow after the exciting Bright Forecast was ruled out until the new year.

Bright Forecast, who finished third in last season's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, was discovered to have a fibrillating heart, a condition that afflicted chasing greats Denman and Sprinter Sacre.

A two-time winner in the colours of 1981 Grand National hero Aldaniti last season, the five-year-old was set to go novice chasing but could stay over hurdles this term.

Bright Forecast: is currently based with Henrietta KnightCredit: Edward Whitaker

Pauling said: "Bright Forecast did a piece of work which led to us doing some tests on him. The tests showed that he had a fibrillating heart. He subsequently went to Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket where, under the supervision of Celia Marr [a specialist in equine internal medicine], he had this issue corrected and his heart is now back in rhythm.

"He has been based at Henrietta Knight's since then and is doing very well. He is walking and trotting and should return to training in the next few weeks.

"The plan with him had been to go over fences this season, but there is a chance now that we will stay over hurdles. He's only five and has a big future ahead of him, so we are keen to give him all the time he needs and not rush him back."

Pauling has not sent out any runners in the past two weeks after finding an issue with his team, but hopes to be back in business in the next seven to ten days.

"There has been nothing wrong with our horses visually and we've been very happy with them at home, but they weren't finishing off their races," the trainer said. "We found they were low in potassium, which is obviously a big source of energy. We've combated that over the last two weeks and they now seem ready to get going again."

Pauling added he is yet to make a decision on whether he will have runners at next week's big two-day meeting at Newbury, where Kildisart and Le Breuil have entries in the Ladbrokes Trophy.

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