Paul Nicholls Exclusive: Sad to report Topofthegame is out for the season

Unfortunately Topofthegame is out for the season after sustaining a minor leg injury.

While the problem is not serious it is enough to make us stop with him at this stage and give him plenty of time to recover.

It's frustrating because he'd done so well over the summer and has been cantering away nicely at home ahead of a crack at the Ladbroke Trophy at Newbury at the end of November.

Hopefully he will be back in training again next season when his long term target will again be the Cheltenham Gold Cup.