NIGEL Twiston-Davies' Cheltenham Festival hero Baby Run has been ruled out for the season.

The Guiting Power trainer, who also owns the ten-time winner, said he had sustained a "minor leg injury" and would return next term for a crack at the Grand National.

Baby Run played a significant role in providing big-race experience to Twiston-Davies' teenaged sons Sam and Willy in hunter chases when they were both amateurs.

Sam rode him to victory at the 2009 Punchestown Festival and in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.

After Sam turned professional, younger brother Willy took over the ride on Baby Run in hunter chasers during the 2010/11 campaign.

Willy gained the biggest victory of his career so far aboard the gelding in the John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase at the 2011 Grand National meeting at Aintree.

It came only weeks after the pair parted company at the penultimate fence when in the lead in the Foxhunter Chase at last year's Festival.

Sam was aboard Baby Run on his most recent run in April, when he finished third in the end-of-season highlight at Sandown, the Bet365 Gold Cup.

Twiston-Davies said Baby Run's injury wasn't career-threatening and he could kick off his campaign next term in the Becher Chase at Aintree on December 8.

"He'll be fine for next season," he said. "We could have carried on and run him this season, but the boys can't ride him in the Foxhunter so he'll have a break and go for the National next season.

"It's a minor leg injury and he's had bad legs all his life.

"He'll run in 2012 and we'll be looking at something like the Becher."

Baby Run has won more than £140,000 in prizemoney and been out of the first three only three times in his 24-race career.