Elgin, fifth in this year’s Champion Hurdle, has been ruled out for the season following an injury.

However, trainer Alan King is confident the six-year-old will be back in action in the future.

Owned by the Elite Racing Club, Elgin earned his chance in the Champion Hurdle after winning valuable handicaps at Cheltenham and Ascot, together with the Grade Two Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

“He’s out for the season. He got injured in the field and we had to fire him. He’ll be off for the year,” King told At The Races. “It’s a shame but we’ll get him back.”

Yanworth, another star of the King stable, is currently sidelined, but could still play a part in the campaign.

The Grade One-wining hurdler and Grade Two chase scorer is currently at his owner JP McManus’ Martinstown Stud in Limerick.

“He had a problem after Cheltenham. We’re hoping we might get him back for the second half of the season,” said King.

However, King had better news about classy chaser Sceau Royal and young hurdler Redicean ahead of their seasonal debuts.

“Sceau Royal is in good form and I imagine he’ll start off in the Shloer (Chase) at Cheltenham in November,” said the Barbury Castle handler.

“I think Altior is going there, but we haven’t got too many options where we can start him.

“He was a very good novice last season, he won a Grade One. I’m going to stick to two miles for the time being.

“For Redicean, I think we are going to go straight to Cheltenham at the October meeting for the four-year-old hurdle.

“The ground in the Triumph was appalling and it finished him. It pulled him apart. I couldn’t get him back for Aintree or Punchestown, but he’s summered very well.

“It will be against his own age group at Cheltenham and we’ll take it from there. He’s a horse I have a lot of faith in.”