Racing: Eoin Griffin has ruled his top-class staying novice hurdler Kazal out of the Punchestown Festival.
A winner of six of his seven starts his only reverse came at the hands of Aran Concerto in a Grade One event on his second visit to a racecourse.
But, in rattling up a five-timer, Kazal has confirmed his liking for soft ground, and with conditions set to be riding much faster at Punchestown, Griffin has already made the decision that he is finished for the campaign.
"He's definitely a non-runner and he'll be taken out at the forfeit stage," said Griffin.
"We've had a great year with him and he's a great prospect for next year where more than likely we will send him chasing.
"We will keep the option of some of the three-mile hurdle races open to him though, we'll see what the opposition is like.
"Al Eile has won the two-and-a-half-mile race at Aintree twice now and if he stepped up in distance he has performed to a higher level than most of the others and he is a very nice horse," he said.
"It looks as if the ground may always be too fast for him at Cheltenham, but if he can keep winning good races throughout the winter we won't be complaining - it might get a bit frustrating at the Festival meetings though."