Dancer on the drift but O'Neill plays Gold Cup fears

The eight-year-old, who ran Kauto Star to half a length in the Betfair Chase but was further behind when only third in the King George VI Chase a month later, also drifted alarmingly on Betfair to a high of 39-1 before firming again into 24-1.

Gold Cup fears: Exotic Dancer has drifted in the market

Trainer Jonjo O'Neill's horses had been under a cloud for three months before showing signs of a recent revival.

With the Gold Cup still 16 days away, O'Neill last night expressed surprise at the betting moves and insisted there was nothing amiss with last season's Gold Cup runner-up.

He said: 'Exotic Dancer did a really good piece of work on Saturday and I was pleased with him. 'He has been swimming this evening and seemed perfectly alright afterwards.'

Meanwhile, trainer Howard Johnson may retire Inglis Drever if he succeeds in his bid to become the first three-time winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on March 13.

Johnson's powerful team have been struck down with a worrying illness which caused 16 of his inmates to burst blood vessels in the past few days.

Pack leader: Inglis Drever (centre) heads the Johnson team in exercise

He has blamed a bad batch of straw but yesterday, as he exercised most of his 100-horse string, only one — Whispering Death — bled afterwards and one other coughed.

The Graham Wylie-owned Inglis Drever, who led third lot at the new 150-acre purpose-built yard near Crook, Co Durham, under stable jockey Denis O'Regan, looked the picture of health.

He will have a racecourse gallop and a school on Sunday. Johnson said: 'I have had some good horses in my time, but he has kept me on the road. If he did win the Stayers' for a third time, I would have a word with Mr Wylie and think about retiring him, as I wouldn't want anything happening to him.

'Sunday will put him spot on for Cheltenham and get the cobwebs out of him. I think the horse is as good as ever. He always hits a flat spot in his races, but he knows just where the winning post is.

'He hasn't had a hard season this year (with only two runs and two victories at Newbury and Cheltenham), unlike the time when he won the Order of Merit in 2005. I think he'll run well at Cheltenham.'

Johnson may run Tidal Bay, his star seven-year-old novice chaser, in both the Arkle Trophy on Tuesday and in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Chase the following day. The big bay was bought by Wylie for 300,000gn after finishing second in Aintree's champion bumper in 2006 and has never been out of the first two since.

Johnson said: 'He'll run in the Arkle and then we'll see. If he had a hard race he probably wouldn't. 'The faster he goes the better he jumps. When he was beaten at Doncaster last time (by Leslingtaylor) they didn't go fast enough for him. He does hold his head a bit high, but he's got an engine.'