THE Leopardstown Christmas meeting has produced its share of shocks but the last one probably registered on the Richter scale, writes Paul Wheeler.
Faugheen, rated by some among the best hurdlers of all time, was pulled up in the Ryanair Hurdle and there was little to explain why it happened.
The 2-11 favourite dropped to the rear of the five-runner field after the third last and was pulled up before the next by his jockey, Paul Townend, with the Gordon Elliott-trained Mick Jazz the 14-1 winner.
Rich Ricci, Faugheen’s owner, said: “Paul Townend said he pulled him up because he just wasn’t firing. He seems to be sound. When he cools down maybe we’ll find out something.
“He’s in the horse ambulance going back to the yard, but he’s not distressed or anything. Paul just pulled him up because he wasn’t going anywhere.
“When Cilaos Emery went by him, normally he would have picked up the bit and cracked on, but he just didn’t. I knew we were toast then.”
Faugheen is still second favourite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March although that may simply reflect the lack of credible alternatives.
Ricci has already seen star two-mile chaser Douvan ruled out for the season and he added: “Hopefully Faugheen isn’t injured. The racing stuff is what it is, but it’s the injuries that kill you. It’s been an extraordinarily challenging week, but that’s topped it. It feels like a long, long winter at the moment.”
Jessica Harrington is still trying to get to the bottom of Sizing John’s below-par run in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase on Thursday, when he finished seventh, after initial blood tests returned normal.
“All the bloods came back normal,” the trainer said. “We’ll take more bloods at the weekend, but he’s sound and he ate up.”
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