Michael Scudamore has been forced to admit defeat in the race to get Monbeg Dude fit for another crack at the Crabbie's Grand National.
Third in the feature last year behind Many Clouds, he picked up a tendon injury in the process and it was always going to be a close-run thing whether he made it back in time or not.
Scudamore had been quietly confident the 2013 Welsh National winner - owned by a syndicate that includes former England rugby star Mike Tindall - would make it, but his name was not among the entries which were released on Wednesday.
The Herefordshire-based trainer said: "Time has beaten us, I'm afraid.
"I had been very hopeful, but we were running out of time so decided to not even enter him and pull stumps for this season.
"Aintree will hopefully be the aim again next season, I know he'll be 12 by then but horses that age have won it before.
"There'll be lots of nice races for him to go for along the way, including the Welsh National."