Horse Racing: Tocca Ferro out for rest of season after injury setback

Ante-post favourite Tocca Ferro has been ruled out of the totesport Trophy at Newbury as well as the rest of the season after meeting with a setback.

Emma Lavelle's six-year-old impressed on his first two starts of the campaign at Ascot and Newbury, but has suffered a leg injury after working at Kempton yesterday.

"Tocca Ferro is out for the season and is suffering from a small tear in a tendon," said Lavelle. "He worked very well at Kempton on Tuesday and I'm absolutely gutted."

Paddy Power make Salden Licht and Final Approach the new 8-1 joint-favourites for the valuable handicap on 12 February. Totesport make Walkon and Final Approach the new 7-1 joint-favourites and their spokesman George Primarolo said: "Tocca Ferro's absence is a real kick in the teeth for ante-post punters who had lumped on and it now seems that Alan King holds all the aces with both Walkon and Salden Licht prominent in the market."

Meanwhile, in yesterday's action at Musselburgh, Tyrone House rewarded favourite backers and made it two wins on the bounce by landing the betfair.com/paulnicholls Handicap Chase at odds of 12-5. Trainer John Wade also saddled the runner up, Persian Prince.

Felix Yonger took the closing two-mile bumper for trainer Howard Johnson. Sent off the 13-8 favourite, the five-year-old boosted the Cheltenham hopes of Bold Optimist, who he chased home when both made their debut last month.

At Huntingdon, Mr Moonshine turned in an impressive performance in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle and looks to have guaranteed himself a run at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sent off at 16-1, he had most of his rivals in trouble a long way from home having been sent straight to the lead. Jumping with aplomb in the hands of Henry Oliver, the gelding was clear straightening up for home and was eased in scoring by four lengths from Cross Kennon.