A reason for what looked a below-par performance by Puffin Billy at Exeter on Sunday appears to have been revealed, with the smart novice hurdler found to have pus in one of his hooves.

Unbeaten in four starts prior to a Listed event at the Devon course, Oliver Sherwood's gelding was sent off the odds-on favourite but proved no match for Melodic Rendezvous and was beaten by nine lengths.

Found to be lame by the Exeter vets, Puffin Billy has entries in the William Hill Supreme and Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdles at Cheltenham.

Sherwood said: "My farrier dug out a whole load of pus from one of his feet (on Monday morning). What with the wet weather, it's like getting a blister and he'll have two or three quiet days having it poulticed.

"Hopefully he'll be able to be ridden towards the end of the week.

"I don't like to have sour grapes, and take nothing away from Melodic Rendezvous, but at least we have some sort of reason for his run."

Sherwood is not sure whether one of his other Cheltenham prospects, Mischievous Milly, will contest Friday's Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Sandown.

She beat last weekend's Warwick Grade Two winner Ma Filleule on her most recent run at Taunton.

"I'm loathe to run her on desperate ground over two and a half miles, so I'm not sure I will have made a decision until Thursday morning," Sherwood said.

"I don't want to bottom her out."

19 June 2013

Perfect Ten in Jersey
Plenty of rain needed for Approval
Banoffee pencilled in for Haydock
Classic rematch in Coronation
Guest has excellent chance
Brittain sweet on Rizeena
Team O'Brien hope for perfect Ten
Chigun aiming for Cambridge glory
Camelot bids for redemption
O'Neill ace proves too sharp
Ballydoyle in command in Coventry
Dawn delivers in thriller
Sole powers to sprint glory
O'Brien sounds War cry

18 June 2013

Stevens is king of the Castle
Al Thani snaps up Sandiva
Minute's silence remembers Cecil
Duntle on Cambridge duty
Alive and Just in Ribblesdale mix
Passage heads Gold field
Deegan considers Soprano options
Toro out for Palace glory
Cecil's words not lost on Ponsonby
Dawn out for Palace redemption
Hawkwood supplemented for Hardwicke
Flotilla To Drop Back In Trip
Cecil's Chigun in Cambridge action
Al Kazeem and Camelot clash again
De Kock hoping to make history
War ready for Royal Ascot battle
Kingdom set to reign over Ascot

17 June 2013

Magician set for Palace showdown
Cat clings on for Carroll
Three more winners for Lady Cecil
Monaghan delivers on Midnight
Treve in stunning Diane win
Sapphire target for Trees
Beckett mulls Secret options
Nicholls has broken wrist

16 June 2013

Songbird aiming to fly high
Movie has Newmarket on radar
Fahey juveniles primed for action
Stubbs leads O'Brien Coventry team
Salsify on summer break
Kempton target for Benbulben
Top trio head Palace runners
Shea Shea shoots for Stand glory
Animal heads Queen Anne field
Saint-Cloud aim for Dunaden
Magician to be declared for Palace
Soul all heart in York sprint
Kingsgate rules Musselburgh
Sam too sharp for rivals
Hughes makes it pay with Knight
Balding on mark with double
Morawij in a hurry in Scurry
Bartley is queen for a day
Big guns to clash in Coronation