Compliance on the sidelines

Smart Irish chaser In Compliance has been ruled out of Thursday’s MacLochlainn Road Markings Ltd Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles and faces a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury.

Michael O’Brien’s eight-year-old finished last season with a creditable third in the Grade One Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup, and ran a fine race on his return when fourth behind Mansony in last month’s Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase.

While the full extent of the injury is unclear, O’Brien believes his charge picked up the problem on his reappearance.

The trainer said: “In Compliance doesn’t run at Thurles as he has a bit of a problem. We think he picked up the injury at Leopardstown and it has been going on since.

“We don’t know how bad it is yet but I don’t think he’ll be going anywhere for a while.

“I’m not sure whether he’ll make the Cheltenham Festival yet.”