Injury rules Pandorama out
Last year’s Lexus Chase winner finished seventh on unsuitably fast ground in the Prestbury Park blue riband and returned home sore.
Trainer Noel Meade had hoped his star chaser would be able to defend his Lexus crown at Leopardstown over Christmas, but he has been forced to write off the full campaign.
“We’ve tried to take it slowly with him since he came back in but the heat has come back and I thought I’m not going to take any chances with him and we’ll give him the season off,” said Meade.
“You always worry when they get heat in a leg like that and we’ll have to see what happens after he’s had a break.”
Meanwhile, Backstage won his third consecutive point-to-point in Ireland at the weekend as he continues his build-up to a crack at the Christies Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham in March.
The nine-year-old added to last month’s victories at Tinahely and Loughanmore to put behind him unsuccessful efforts in the Aintree and Irish Grand Nationals.
Although the Gordon Elliott-trained gelding will be given an entry in the John Smith’s Grand National for the third year running, his main target will be the big hunter chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
“He’s won his last three point-to-points after winning again at the weekend. He won at Kirkistown quite impressively,” said Tim Palin, racing manager for owners Middleham Park Racing.
“Gordon Elliott keeps saying he would do more at home than in the point-to-points, but I want us to be careful not to over-race him.
“He will have a Grand National entry, but the plan is the Foxhunters at Cheltenham.
“The National is four weeks after that and he should get a sensible weight for it this season – around 10st 6lb, 10st 8lb – compared to the last two years when he ran off 148. He’s been a little bit short off that mark.”
* The Cork meeting which was postponed on Sunday, after the course was found to be partially waterlogged, has been rescheduled for tomorrow. The original entries stand and fresh declarations must be made by 10am today.
The first race will be off at 12.50pm.
