Feathard Lady suffers ligament injury

Feathard Lady is set for another spell on the sidelines after injuring a ligament.

Colm Murphy’s charge won each of her three starts last term, including an impressive 12-length success in the Christmas Hurdle at Sandown, before straining a hind fetlock joint in January.

The problem forced the six-year-old to miss the rest of the season but Murphy had been hoping to have her back in action this term.

However, Feathard Lady has now suffered a further setback and is unlikely to return to the racecourse again this year.

Murphy explained: “She’s injured a ligament again. The reports are good and it doesn’t seem too bad but it will be Christmas before she’s back riding out.

“It will take some time but we hope we will have her there again in March.

“It’s a sister of the last problem, you might say. It happened on Friday and we were hoping it wasn’t going to be much of a thing. It’s just a case of we have to sit and wait now.”

Feathard Lady was already as short as 7-1 with Coral for the 2007 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham with stablemate Brave Inca their 9-2 market leader.

The eight-year-old won the Festival feature last term, topping off a season that had also seen him claim the Irish equivalent and the December Festival Hurdle.

Murphy is delighted with Brave Inca’s condition at present and is keen to see him back on the track.

“We couldn’t be happy with him and it’s all systems go to the Morgiana Hurdle. He’s in great order, has summered really well and we couldn’t be happier,” he told At The Races.