Headleys Bridge withdrawn from Champion Stakes

Last year’s Irish Derby finalist Headleys Bridge has been withdrawn from Saturday’s heats of the Boylesports.com Champion Stakes at Shelbourne and he will be replaced by first reserve Slick Sioux.

Nick Cotter’s Headleys Bridge has been very lightly raced since the Derby final and trainer Edward O’Sullivan reported that he was lame after a trial yesterday morning. It will now be a race against time to have him ready for this year’s Derby which kicks off in three weeks’ time.

He was due to run from trap four in the first heat and this trap will now likely be occupied by the Pat Buckley trained Slick Sioux, winner of the Tyrur Ted Champion Bitch Stake at Galway. However, this will not be official until the weigh-in because if one of the inside traps became vacant she would move inwards.