Paul Nicholls has been dealt a blow with the news that Al Ferof has a problem which will force him to miss his intended run in the Betfair Ascot Chase this weekend and the Cheltenham Festival.

The grey, who finished third in the King George behind stablemate Silviniaco Conti at Kempton on St Stephen's Day, requires surgery on an entrapped epiglottis. As a consequence, Nicholls will enter his top-class novice Ptit Zig in Saturday's Grade One contest.

The champion trainer told his Betfair column: "Al Ferof has a minor problem which rules him out of his intended target in the Betfair Ascot Chase on Saturday, and also the Cheltenham Festival.

"He has a partially entrapped epiglottis which requires minor corrective surgery.

"So Ascot and Cheltenham are ruled out as he will be recovering, but the aim is to get him ready for Aintree and Punchestown.

"In the light of that, I will be entering Ptit Zig for the Betfair Ascot Chase at the weekend."