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Coral Welsh National winner and Gold Cup fancy Notre Pere has been ruled out of the Festival's showpiece event after suffering a minor setback that could leave him out action beyond Aintree.
Trainer John Dreaper said of his stable star that the problem ‘wasn’t serious’ and that he will hopefully look at other targets for him before the seasons end. Notre Pere was widely regarded as Ireland's best chance of winning the Gold Cup this year, and he had been backed into 16/1 with the likes of William Hill after his Welsh National triumph and close second in the Hennessy.
His exit now means that 2006 winner War of Attrition will be Ireland's main contender on Friday week. The Mouse Morris veteran is as low as 25/1 with Paddy Power for the race, however Stan James still offer a sizeable 40/1 about the former winner.