Justified Leopardstown date in doubt

Dusty Sheehy believes a torn muscle may have been responsible for Justified’s below-par run in Sunday’s big race in Ireland.

The promising second-season chaser was sent off at 4-1 for the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, won by In Compliance, but Tony McCoy was forced to pull hi up after the third-last.

Justified returned with a sore back and although the Sheehy team have yet to confirm the exact nature of the problem, the handler believes a torn muscle is the likeliest explanation.

“We think he’s probably torn a muscle in his back as we had a look this morning and he’s a bit sore on his back,” he said.

“We’re waiting to go a bit further with him though, to examine him a bit more, but we think that’s what it is.”

Justified holds an entry in the Grade One Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on December 27 but Sheehy does not expect him to be ready to take up that engagement.

“He’d definitely miss Christmas if that’s the case so we’ll see what it is but he’s definitely done something with his back,” he added.

“The main target now is just to get him 100% right again and then we’ll have to take it from there.”