Tolworth favourite and Cheltenham Festival fancy Luccia to miss Sandown

Luccia, the general 6-4 favourite for Saturday's Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown, will not run after an unsatisfactory scope.

Bred by owner Paul Sandy, Luccia won two bumpers in style last season before impressing on her hurdling debut at Newbury in November.

The Tolworth, which her trainer Nicky Henderson memorably won with Constitution Hill last year, was then earmarked as the next stepping stone for the mare.

Sandy was relishing that prospect on Monday, but his hopes of having a first Grade 1 runner have been put on hold.

Henderson said on Wednesday: "I'm afraid she won't be able to run as she's scoped unsatisfactorily and it wouldn't be right to run her under those circumstances.

"She's fine. She's not sick or unwell, but she has a bit of mucus down her windpipe, which needs clearing up before she can run. She's fit and well and couldn't be better in herself, but it's one of those things and she's a bit of mucus in her lower airway."

Nicky Henderson: 'I hope it won't take long to clear as she needs one more run before the festival in March'Credit: Edward Whitaker

A daughter of The Gurkha, Luccia is quoted in the betting for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and can be backed at 25-1 for the Cheltenham Festival opener, but she heads the betting for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at 3-1.

"I hope it won't take long to clear as she needs one more run before the festival in March," the Lambourn trainer added. "There are plenty of options and she could even run in a mares' novice hurdle with a penalty – she doesn't have to run in anything glorified.

"I've long held her in high regard, which is why I wanted to run in the Tolworth. I'd have loved to have run her and it would have been fascinating.

"I was really looking forward to it and I know Paul was too. It's very sad for him as we were going to find out where she stood with Gary Moore's horse [Authorised Speed] and Paul Nicholls' horse [Tahmuras] in opposition. It would have been very interesting but we'll have to wait for another day before we can find out."

Unibet Tolworth Hurdle (2.25 Sandown, Saturday)

Paddy Power: 6-4 Authorised Speed, 13-8 Tahmuras, 5-2 Arctic Bresil, 12 L'Astroboy, 16 Colonel Harry, Nemean Lion, 20 Blow Your Wad, Ukantango, 25 Scarface, 50 Joe Dadancer

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