West Cork trainer Raymond Hurley has called time on the former Gold Cup hero Imperial Call returning to Cheltenham.

The 12-year-old veteran remains among the entries for next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup but Hurley confirmed yesterday that time has run out in his bid to get the injury plagued veteran back to the scene of his greatest triumph in 1996.

"Cheltenham is out of the question I'm afraid. He would want to have had a run by now or about to have one in the next fortnight if he was to have a chance of getting to Cheltenham but we have no racing plans for him yet," said Hurley.

The Clonakilty-based trainer added: "Imperial Call is in good form and is working away nicely but he isn't back to full work yet. With all the problems he has had and the length of time he's been off it's hard to say when he will be back."

However, hopes have not disappeared that Imperial Call will be seen out later this season and Hurley hasn't ruled out a return to the Punchestown festival where the horse won so dramatically two seasons ago.

Imperial Call's former jockey Conor O'Dwyer expects to return to action at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

O'Dwyer hasn't race ridden since 12 days ago at the Co Meath track when he sustained a rib injury riding in a Beginners Chase.

That resulted in O'Dwyer missing out on partnering Native Upmanship in last Sunday's Hennessy Gold Cup where the Arthur Moore trained horse flopped and was pulled up behind Florida Pearl.

However O'Dwyer said yesterday: "I rode out this morning and there was no disruption so I'm hoping everything will be okay for Saturday. The medical people are happy that some muscle was torn off a couple of ribs and the only thing I could do was rest. It seems good at the moment and I will ride two or three for Arthur (Moore) on each day this weekend."

The rider admitted to being "very disappointed" with Native Upmanship's performance and Moore reported yesterday that the John Magnier owned horse will now have the Catchart as a Cheltenham target rather than the Gold Cup.

"The Gold Cup is pretty unlikely now and we will probably run in the Cathcart instead," said Moore. A disappointing weekend for the Moore team was compounded by Well Ridden's last of three finish behind Sackville in the PJ Moriarty Chase but Moore confirmed the Arkle Trophy remains the horse's Cheltenham target.