Crack Away to wait for chase bow

Crack Away Jack currently leads the ante-post Arkle market

Arkle favourite Crack Away Jack looks set to have to wait for his much-anticipated debut over fences.

Emma Lavelle's five-year-old has an entry at Kempton on Sunday but she is cautious after his fourth-placed finish in this year's Champion Hurdle.

She told BBC Radio Solent: "I think it's now unlikely that he'll go to Kempton. The ground will be too quick.

"Exeter may be the same situation on Tuesday because there is not that much rain forecast."

Andover-based trainer Lavelle added: "Kempton is a really good draining track, and although they've been watering extensively, it looks like it's just running straight through, so will end up being too quick for Jack.

"He is in fantastic form, he's summered probably the best he has done since we've had him. He's raring to go, but with no rain I don't want to risk damaging him at this stage of this season."

After his outstanding run in last season's Champion Hurdle, it was always the plan for Lavelle to send Crack Away Jack chasing, but the trainer admits it is not cut and dried as to which Cheltenham Festival showpiece will end up being the target for the horse.

"I want to start him out at fences because that's his future. It'll probably give him a slightly easier start to the season too, otherwise he'd be up against the best two-mile hurdlers."

"After that we'll sit down with his owners and discuss what we do. If his chase debut goes to plan, then the Arkle becomes a much easier target than the Champion Hurdle. But one has a bit more kudos than the other."