Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
EREC SCARE
Stone bruise leaves star in Festival fitness battle
JOSEPH O’BRIEN is optimistic Sir Erec, hot favourite for next Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham will recover from a slight setback to make the big-race line-up.
Unbeaten in two starts over hurdles, Sir Erec was found to have a stone-bruise yesterday morning, enough to give his ante-post supporters plenty of anxiety in the build-up to the Festival.
O’brien, speaking in Thurles where his Smoking Gun (Rachael Blackmore) made it four wins from his last five starts by justifying 6/4 favouritism in the Thurles Handicap Hurdle, said: “Sir Erec had a stone-bruise and, because he’s a fancied horse for next week, it was important to let the people know the situation.
“I’m confident that eight days will be more than enough time to recover.”
Assuming Sir Eric gets the go-ahead for the Triumph, O’brien’s Fakir D’oudairies and Gardens Of Babylon will both take their chance in Tuesday’s Supreme Novices with Band Of Outlaws and Fine Brunello set to contest the Boodles Handicap Hurdle (Fred Winter).
Noel Meade has confirmed last year’s Gold Cup fourth Road To Respect will swerve next Friday’s Festival feature in favour of the Ryanair the previous day.
Willie Mullins kept his Queen Mother Champion Chase options open by leaving Min, Footpad and Un De Sceaux in the race at yesterday’s forfeit stage.
The other Irish acceptors are Pat Kelly’s Castlegrace Paddy and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Ordinary World.
And there are only two Irish hopefuls among the 13 left in the RSA, dual Grade 1 winner and favourite Delta Work and Joseph O’brien’s Mortal, also owned by Gigginstown House Stud.
Elsewhere, Henry de Bromhead, undecided on whether Monalee will contest the Ryanair or Gold Cup next week, introduced once-raced point-to point winner Walk Away to make an impressive race course debut under Robbie Power in the INH Stallion Owners Maiden Hurdle in Thurles yesterday.
The trainer confirmed smart mares Honeysuckle (Mares Novice) and Sinoria (Ballymore) are on course for Cheltenham, with Rachael Blackmore set to partner both.
Willie Mullins took the training honours yesterday, completing a double with French import Cash Back (Paul Townend) in the thurles.ie Maiden Hurdle and Golden Spread (Patrick) in the bumper, in which Noel Meade’s newcomer and favourite Rigour sustained a fatal injury.