DESAILLY will be bidding to give trainer Jonathan Geake some much needed cheer when he tackles the Welsh National at Chepstow on Tuesday - weather permitting.

Geake, who recently took over the Kimpton Down yard from father-in-law Toby Balding, has revealed stable star Accipiter will not run for several months. He has been suffering from a minor injury which Geake believes he sustained when winning the Sefton Novices Hurdle at Aintree's Grand National meeting in April.

Geake is taking no chances with Accipiter, triumphant in four of his six races last term, and he will not be back on the racecourse until the summer. "He's too good a horse to mess up," he explained.

Meanwhile Desailly, who normally carries hefty weights in lower class handicaps, will have just 10st on his back in the marathon chase next week.

The veteran, just touched off at Newbury last time out after winning his only race this season at Sandown, is a far better horse on good ground and Geake naturally hopes the rain will stay away. "He won't want the ground too sticky," he added.