Back In Front doubtful for Cheltenham
The seven-year-old, brilliant winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival, is lame in his near fore.
“He worked on the racecourse on Wednesday and we were very pleased with him,” O’Grady said yesterday. “He was sound on Thursday but pulled out not 100% sound on Friday.
“His participation is in the balance.
“We have had the vet, chiropractor and farrier all trying to come to a conclusion as to why he is lame, but we can’t see anything that is causing it.
“Realistically, he has a hill to climb to make it to Cheltenham and that hill gets steeper every day as we get closer to the Festival.
“There are other options, though, such as Japan and the owner would probably consider Punchestown.
“I have to be realistic. I don’t know why he went lame but I am trying to deal with it as best as I can.
“I have not noticed any tremendous improvement, or otherwise, between Friday and today and he would have to be coming round the corner by the end of the week.
“We have had a look at his foot, taken his shoe off and that hasn’t made any difference.
“The next step is to nerve-block him. We have delayed doing that as he hates needles but we are going to have to go down that avenue.
“I am hugely upset. I have never won the Champion Hurdle and he was a genuine contender for what looks a very open renewal.
“However, he is a very young horse and there is no reason why he can’t go back next year.”
Back In Front has been eased in the betting for the Champion Hurdle and is now a top-priced 14-1 chance.
Despite doubts over Back In Front, O’Grady, is gearing up for this year’s extravaganza The County Tipperary-based handler, Ireland’s leading current trainer at the Cheltenham Festival with 17 winners, worked two of his other leading lights, Pizarro and Sidalcea, over 12 furlongs yesterday morning.
Pizarro is set to return to the scene of his Weatherbys Champion Bumper win in 2002. The seven-year-old was second in last year’s Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle and, after a successful first season over fences, will now contest the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
He showed his well-being when winning the Grade One Dr P J Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown earlier this month.
“Pizarro is our great white hope,” declared O’Grady, who has saddled the winner of 11 of the 20 races at the Festival.
“The trip at Leopardstown (two miles and five furlongs) is as short as he would have wanted and he will improve for the step up in trip to three miles at Cheltenham.
“Pizarro is running in what is really the prep race for the premier race (Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup) but I have never won a SunAlliance Chase and I would like to win it.
“There is a lot to look forward to with him. He is in good shape, likes the track and is very unlucky not to have won there twice.
“He is very much my main hope and I just hope that when I pull him out tomorrow that he he is going to be sound.
“He is a horse that seems to like Cheltenham and as history has proved it is often a case of horses for courses.
“One thing that has become apparent over recent years is that the ground has always been unusually fast at Cheltenham, which is altering things a little bit. I think he will be all right to act on good ground once, though.”
O’Grady still hopes to have a strong team at Cheltenham.
“I would be looking to have about five runners at the Festival at the moment,” he said. “But a week ago it could have been eight or nine, and it could be three or four tomorrow. It doesn’t matter how many you travel with, though, it is about winning. Even if you have to cut the pack to the minimum to get one winner, that is what it is about.
“I have two bumper horses. Sidalcea (half-sister to Best Mate), who jumps very well, and runs on Thursday and Overbury Affair who runs on Saturday.
“I have the hunter chaser, General Montcalm, Turtleback, who is in two handicaps and runs on Sunday. He’ll have to come through that to go to Cheltenham and I also have a couple of novice hurdlers, with John Oliver likely to go.
“We like to go there with a winning chance. Whether you are Martin Pipe or Edward O’Grady, it doesn’t really matter because the races at Cheltenham are bigger than any of us.
“The best horse doesn’t always win, it is often the one that is best on the day.
“We are only going there with serious contenders so even if Back In Front does come right, he won’t be running unless he is 100%”
