The Reverend will not be part of Willie Mullins’ formidable squad for the Cheltenham Festival after suffering a setback.

A four-time winner on the flat for William Haggas, the five-year-old made a successful hurdling debut at Cork early in the new year before unseating Harry Cobden in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival.

The Reverend holds Cheltenham engagements in the Skybet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, but will not be making the trip to the Cotswolds next week.

Sean Graham, racing manager for part-owner Tony Bloom, said: “Unfortunately The Reverend is lame and we don’t want to take any chances, so he’ll miss Cheltenham.”