Snowy Morning ruled out of Irish National
Speaking at Thurles yesterday, trainer, Willie Mullins, reported: “He was never a certain starter in the National and is on the easy-list at the moment.
“He has suffered a scratch, which necessitated a stitch or two. I was going to wait before making a decision, because he had a hard race at Cheltenham.
“That has been taken out of my hands in any case, there is no way he could be trained for Fairyhouse.
“The plan now is to head for a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival on the opening day over three miles and a furlong.”
Snowy Morning is one of the most promising young chasers in the country, producing a career-best effort at Prestbury Park when a creditable runner-up behind the hugely impressive Denman in the Royal and SunAlliance Novices Chase.
Meanwhile, Cailin Alainn has recovered from her fall in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham and is on target for the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on April 8.
The Charles Byrnes-trained mare had scored twice at the highest level earlier in the season, but her campaign has hit the buffers somewhat of late following two falls at Cheltenham.
Byrnes took the eight-year-old over to Prestbury Park for the Letheby And Christopher Chase in January to gain experience over the tricky fences but unfortunately it did not pay dividends and she hit the deck, as she did two months later at the Festival.
“She’s fine. She’s entered in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse and that’s her next target,” said Byrnes.
“It was unfortunate again, but we’ve got her home and she’s all right which is the main thing.
“In both her races at Cheltenham she has jumped OK until her fall which makes it all the more frustrating.
“She’s OK, though. Hopefully she’ll be back in next year and then the owners will probably have a look after that, but as far as I know she’ll still be in training next year.”
