Byrnes happy with Sunalliance hope Alainn
The eight-year-old mare’s six-race winning streak was brought to an abrupt halt when she had a nasty fall in the Letheby And Christopher Chase at Prestbury Park last month.
Before that she had won two Grade One races for trainer Charles Byrnes and is currently second-favourite behind Denman for the staying novice chase championship.
“She is fully recovered now I think,” confirmed Byrnes.
“She has schooled a bit, but we haven’t been able to do that much with her because of the bad ground.
“She’s in good nick and I’m happy enough with her.
“The reason we took her over for that race was so that the Festival would not be a new experience for her what with the travelling and everything.
“She has got hot before for some reason when we’ve taken her away, but she didn’t when we took her over to Cheltenham.
“She was travelling well enough when she came down, but I think she was just starting to feel the pinch.
“She might have been second to Exotic Dancer and she she looks to be going over with a real live chance.”
Cailin Alainn is a top-priced 7-1 with Betfred and VC Bet for the SunAlliance.
* CB Triumph Hurdle favourite Lounaos is reported to be in “serious order” by her trainer Eoin Griffin.
The four-year-old filly won her first two races over timber in impressive style and was then thrown in at the deep end against Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle.
She was not disgraced in finishing fourth and as it appears there will be sufficient cut in the ground at the Festival this year, Griffin has confirmed she will definitely take her chance.
“Lounaos is in serious order. She did a piece of work yesterday and is really impressing me,” said Griffin.
“I’ll probably give her a day away at the Curragh before Cheltenham.
“There is no doubt she will run in the Triumph Hurdle now as the ground will be soft enough.”
Lounaos is the general 5-1 favourite for the Triumph.
* Convincing will head straight for the JCB Triumph Hurdle after missing an intended engagement at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
John Murphy’s juvenile has won three of his four starts over hurdles this season, with his only defeat coming behind current Triumph favourite Lounaos on St Stephen’s Day when he was found to be off colour.
Despite stepping on a stone on Friday afternoon, Murphy has revealed he will not be held up in his work and it is now all systems go for Cheltenham.
“He’s fine now. We are just praying for some dry weather and a quick recovery,” he said.
“He won’t be held up at all, he’ll be cantering again on Tuesday, there’s not a bother on him.
“He will head straight to Cheltenham now as it is getting too close to get another run into him.
“I didn’t want to take any chances on Saturday, especially as the ground was brutal and we were giving everybody 9lb.
“Financial Reward ran a sound enough race which gives the form of his last win a solid look.
“He has had four runs over hurdles now so he is not short on experience. Believe me, the best is yet to come from him.”
Convincing is a 20-1 chance with Bet Direct for the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
* James Fanshawe has reported that his Cheltenham Festival winner Reveillez has suffered “no lasting damage” following his late withdrawal from the Racing Post Chase at Kempton on Saturday.
The eight-year-old landed one of the gambles of the season for his owner, JP McManus, at Prestbury Park last March in winning the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase.
However, connections have endured a frustrating campaign this time round with an early fall behind Cerium at Ascot in November and a mid-division finish in the boylesports.com Gold Cup on his only appearances to date.
He had been primed for Saturday’s showpiece race, but was withdrawn after injuring his jaw on a door bolt in the racecourse stables.
“He’s had his jaw wired up but he will be fine, there is no lasting damage,” said Fanshawe.
“It’s the sort of thing where you never really know how long it will take to clear up, but hopefully it won’t be too long.
“I won’t know if we’ll be able to get him to Cheltenham for another week or so, though.
“He was obviously race-fit for Saturday, so he wouldn’t need too much work before Cheltenham.
“But we have no idea at the minute how long he will be out.”
Reveillez is 10-1 co-second favourite for the Racing Post Plate with Stan James.
