Byrnes: Solwhit set to bypass Cheltenham

CHARLES BYRNES has confirmed it is “more than likely” stable star Solwhit will bypass the Cheltenham Festival in favour of a trip to Aintree in April.

The seven-year-old had to settle for second to Hurricane Fly for the third successive time in last weekend’s Irish Champion Hurdle, and Byrnes sees little point in letting his charge line up in the English equivalent.

There is still a chance he could step up to three miles for the first time and tackle Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle, but Byrnes currently prefers waiting for the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles, which he won in 2009.