Time For Rupert will not run again this season after his gallant effort in defeat in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The star of Paul Webber’s Mollington stables, near Banbury, was in front approaching the second-last and while he faded up the hill, the eight-year-old was beaten less than ten lengths into fifth.

Time For Rupert had to have several buckets of water thrown over him after the race to cool him down, but Webber has given him a clean bill of health.

“He’s grand, he’s out in the paddock enjoying the sunshine,” said the trainer.

“I think he was just beaten by better horses on the day, it was nothing to do with not coming up the hill or anything like that.

“The way he was in the paddock had nothing to do with his performance – he just had a bit of heat exhaustion – as he was up with the pace throughout.

“He’s just not quite as good as some of the others at the moment, but he ran to his rating. He was only beaten nine lengths in a Gold Cup, so we’ll take that.

“It gives us confidence to go into next season on the back of a good run. I think that will be it for this year.

“Everybody has been crabbing last season’s novices, so it was nice that he and The Giant Bolster represented them with distinction.”

But two of Time For Rupert’s stablemates could be in action again after their creditable efforts at the Festival.

Alasi finished fourth as Quevega won the OLBG Mare’s Hurdle for the fourth successive year, beaten four and half lengths.

And the eight-year-old could now go for the EBF/Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Novices’ Chase Finale at Newbury on Saturday.

Webber said: “She’s absolutely bounced out of the race in great form.

“She was going every bit as well as the winner turning in and nobody seems to have noticed that she was giving weight to the second and the third, so it was a very good run.”

Cantlow, who finished an honourable third to Cape Tribulation in the Pertemps Final, is also set to be kept on the go.

Webber commented: “From our point of view they probably over-watered, but he’s still run a good race and he’ll probably go to Aintree now where he’ll get his ground.”