Impaire Et Passe looks set to head straight to the Aintree Hurdle in April after being scratched from both the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was considered one of the most exciting horses in training following an unbeaten novice campaign that saw him land the Ballymore at Cheltenham and a Grade 1 at Punchestown, but he has suffered defeat in each of his three outings so far this term.