WILLOUGHBY COURT is suffering with a foot problem could be forced to miss the Cheltenham Festival.
Ben Pauling's seven-year-old has an abscess in his foot and his participation in the JLT Novices' Chase, for which he was a clear favourite, depends on how long the problem takes to clear up.
Willoughby Court was Pauling's first Cheltenham Festival winner last March, narrowly holding on in the Neptune Novices' Hurdle from Harry Fry's Neon Wolf.
After a shaky winning debut over fences at Huntingdon, he impressed to beat Yanworth in the Grade 2 Berkshire Novices' Chase at Newbury before that rival turned the form around receiving weight in the Grade 2 Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
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Jason Maguire, racing manager for Willoughby Court's owners, Paul and Clare Rooney, said: "He's got a bit of an abscess in his foot, which is frustrating, but we'll just have to see how he is over the next few days.
"It's very disappointing to come so close to Cheltenham but it can't be helped.
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"His owners are very patient and are very happy to do what is best by him.
"We'll make a decision in the next couple of days whether he's fit enough to go to Cheltenham or not. If he can't go, he can't go."
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