Istabraq retired for the season

Triple Smurfit Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq has been retired for the season, it was announced yesterday.

Connections have rejected thoughts of running the eight-year-old at the spring festivals at Aintree and Punchestown.

Aidan O'Brien said yesterday: "Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq is to be put away for the summer. Connections were considering the Martell Aintree Hurdle and the Shell Champion Hurdle at Punchestown but have decided that he has done more than enough for the season."

Istabraq very nearly didn't run at Cheltenham last week after blood was found in the horse's nose on the eve of the race.

However, the JP McManus-owned gelding was allowed to take his chance and joined Arkle and Golden Miller as the only horses to win at four consecutive Festivals.

Meanwhile, two of O'Brien's Classic hopefuls, Brahms and Monashee Mountain, could make their seasonal reappearance at the start of the Irish Flat season at the Curragh on Sunday in the listed Loughbrown Stakes over seven furlongs.