Jezki, winner of the Champion Hurdle in 2014, has been ruled out for the season after suffering a setback.

The seven-year-old found old foe Hurricane Fly too strong on his first three starts of last season, but ended the campaign on a high by landing the Aintree Hurdle and the World Series Hurdle on his first start over three miles at Punchestown.

Jessica Harrington’s stable star was the ante-post favourite for the World Hurdle at Cheltenham next March, but is now set for a lengthy period on the sidelines.

Harrington said: “Unfortunately he’s out for the season.

“He came back into training in the second week of August and we found he had some heat in his leg yesterday (Thursday) morning.

“It’s hard to stomach, but it’s one of those things.”