The Jukebox Man could miss the entirety on the Jumps season, according to trainer Ben Pauling.
Owned by former Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United manager Harry Redknapp, he landed the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day before finishing eighth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
Despite being ruled out of the Punchestown Festival, it was expected that connections would have plenty to look forward to this campaign, however, the eight-year-old met another setback that has ruled him out of, at the very least, the first half of the 2026/27 season.
Pauling told the Racing Post that he is keen not to "rush anything" with his dual Grade 1-winning chaser, saying: "It's very frustrating that he'll miss a lot of this season. After the Gold Cup we found him stiff and sore, but he'd bounced back really well for Punchestown before getting pus in his foot ten days before he was due to run. That was his season over, and it was a bit of a tame end.
"He came back this autumn in great shape, but on a regular Monday morning canter he just whacked his tendon.
"The King George is realistically out, and I'm not sure about bringing him back for the festival as it's a big ask. It might be that we don't see him this season, but if not he'll be back the following season hopefully as good as ever. We don't want to rush anything."
The Jukebox Man's first Cheltenham Festival effort saw him finish a narrow runner-up in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, just touched off on the line by Stellar Story.
His form has gone to a different level since switching to fences.
The son of Jukebox Jury landed the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton in his maiden term over the bigger obstacles, before striking in open company at the very same track 12 months later in the King George.
In his absence, Willie Mullins looks to have a stranglehold on the Festive showpiece, with Kitzbuhel (3/1) and Gaelic Warrior (5/1) the early market leaders.
Nicky Henderson has also outlined the King George as an early season target for Lulamba (7/2), who embarks on a first campaign over fences against his elders. He does have to bounce back from a disappointing showing at Aintree where he unseated in the Manifesto Novices' Chase, although the step up to three miles should really suit.
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
