Jazz messenger hits the wrong note

Bookmakers were unimpressed with the performance of Noel Meade’s Jazz Messenger at Punchestown and have pushed him out in the betting for the Cheltenham Festival.

Quoted before the Irish National Hunt Festival Novice Hurdle as a 14-1 shot with some firms for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novice Hurdle, he is now available at nearly double those odds.

Sent off the 8-13 favourite to beat seven rivals, he began to look in trouble after a slow leap three out and never reeled in long-time leader Drunken Disorderly (4-1) and went down by three lengths.

William Hill have now pushed the six-year-old out to 25-1 from 16-1 for the Cheltenham contest.

Meade’s Sweet Wake is 3-1 favourite for the race with the same firm.