Arcalis blow for Johnson
Arcalis, for whom Howard Johnson had high hopes in the novice chase ranks this winter, has been ruled out for the season by the County Durham handler.
Johnson had been looking forward to sending the seven-year-old over fences and had been touting the grey as an Arkle prospect.
However, he has had to scrap those plans as the 2005 Supreme Novices’ winner is still being troubled by a tendon injury picked up when he dead-heated for first place at Sandown in April.
Johnson said: “He galloped the other day up the hill but he did not sparkle and I might call time with him for this season.
“I am not quite happy with him and he has a little bubble on the tendon he injured when he came back jarred up from Sandown.
“He owes us nothing so I will wait with him and he can have a full novice season next year.”
