Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon admitted to being “gutted” after Paintball missed out on a crack at a £75,000 bonus at Cheltenham today due to a bruised foot.

The five-year-old sprang a 20-1 surprise in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown last Saturday to set himself up for the cash boost if he went on to win at the Festival.

Longsdon hoped to run him in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle – for which he would have made the cut.

But the trainer reported: “He must have trodden on a sharp stone while walking in from the gallops, and has bruised the sole of his foot.

“Gutting as he had breezed really well this morning and £75k was up for grabs.”