Ligament injury for Arkle hope Solwhit
Classy hurdler Solwhit had been amongst the leading Irish hopes for the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but fans of the talented gelding are going to have to wait until January at the earliest to see him jump a fence after he sustained an injury to a suspensory ligament in training recently and is now on the easy list, writes Elliot Slater.
Charles Byrnes’s seven-year-old gelding proved himself a very smart performer over timber registering no less than six Grade 1 successes over the last couple of seasons, including landing the 2009 Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown and the 2010 Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle, but on his final three starts last term repeatedly found the excellent Hurricane Fly just a couple of lengths too good for him, finishing second the subsequent Champion Hurdle winner at both Fairyhouse and Leopardstown last December and then having to settle for the runner’s-up berth once again when last seen in action in January in the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle. Even those looking for Grand National tips will be disappointed.
The plan had been for Solwhit to have a crack at Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, but he failed to show any zip in training leading up to the race and connections decided against running him, taking the view that the hard races with Hurricane Fly might have left their mark and an extended break prior to embarking on a novice chasing career was the order of the day. Those following the Grand National free betting should bear this in mind.
Before meeting with his minor injury Solwhit had reportedly been shaping well and Byrnes is optimistic about his charge recovering in time to figure in the major festival events in the spring. He remains on offer at 16/1 in the ante-post market for the Arkle Chase, a book currently dominated by recent impressive Bangor scorer Peddlers Cross, the 11/2 favourite.
