Gordon Elliott rules big hope The Storyteller out of Cheltenham Festival

The Storyteller has suffered a setback which has ruled him out of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday. His enforced absence is another blow to ante-post punters as the six-year-old was a strong market leader at a general 4-1. Trainer Gordon Elliott told his Betfair blog: ''Unfortunately, The Storyteller pulled a muscle while exercising this morning and will not make it to the Festival." The Storyteller had won his last two races, at Down Royal and at Thurles, by an aggregate of 18 lengths.