Eile swerves Irish Leger

Al Eile will not take up his engagement in the Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh on Saturday.

The triple Aintree Hurdle winner will instead have a prep run on the Flat in the next month before going back over jumps for the WBX.COM “Fighting Fifth” Hurdle at Newcastle on November 29.

The eight-year-old, runner-up to Harchibald in the Gosforth Park feature last season, missed the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle in June after scoping badly.

“He won’t run on Saturday, but he’s well and he’s ready to rock,” said trainer John Queally.

“We worked him the other morning and he just wasn’t quite ready for his seasonal debut.

“That entry was made in April, a long way back, and he wasn’t quite ready to go there.

“We have no particular race in mind, maybe a handicap, but it will definitely be in the next month.

“Then it will be back to the ’Fighting Fifth’ in Newcastle. That would be his seasonal debut over hurdles, I would imagine.”

Al Eile was a 33-1 chance for Classic glory at the weekend.