Cross future hangs in balance

Michael Halford's Ladbrokes World Hurdle runner-up Golden Cross may have run his last race.

The seven-year-old, partnered by Derby-winning jockey Johnny Murtagh over timber all last season, suffered an overreach in the Cheltenham contest.

It was initially thought he would only miss the first half of the season but Halford has reported that his racing career now hangs in the balance.

"Golden Cross is not in training as he suffered a setback in the World Hurdle which has put him out of action. People won't see him back this season.

"He sustained a bad overreach during the race and cut into his tendon and then muck got into it and it was dirty and despite our best efforts to treat it, it has been a battle ever since.

"I don't know about the future and this sort of thing only happens to the good ones," he continued.

"At this point, it is a longshot whether he'll be back next season and while you can never say never with horses, the odds are not in his favour."