Punchestown in mind for Solwhit
Charles Byrnes’ six-year-old had won three Grade One races before the Festival but his participation was placed in doubt just days before the race when he started coughing.
Byrnes was happy enough to let him run and he was not disgraced in sixth, but his handler believes the quicker ground was more to blame than the setback.
“Solwhit will probably go to Punchestown,” said Byrnes.
“He seems to have come out of the race OK, we’ve given him a week off just to freshen him up and he’s been out in the paddock.
“I’d say he just needs to go back to soft ground to be seen at his best.
“I always thought two miles in a Champion Hurdle might be a bit quick for him on good ground, I think that contributed as much as his hold-up.
“It might not have dried up at Punchestown by the time that comes around, you never know, it’s only four weeks away. “He won’t go to Aintree as it is too close to Punchestown.”
Byrnes also reported that his classy juvenile hurdler Pittoni, who finished 10th in the Triumph Hurdle, will not run again this season.
“Pittoni will be roughed as he’s been busy enough,” added Byrnes.
