Macs Joy became the latest Irish star to miss out on next week's Cheltenham festival when a muscle problem found yesterday ruled him out of the Smurift Kappa Champion Hurdle.
A disappointed Jessica Harrington had been planning to work the multiple Grade One winning star under his big race jockey Barry Geraghty yesterday but Macs Joy's festival plans have had to be scrapped. "He has pulled a muscle," the trainer confirmed. "It's on the opposite side to the one he had before. He's perfectly sound and everything. But he's just not right."
Macs Joy will now be trained for next month's ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, a race in which he beat the current title holder Brave Inca in impressive style last year.
The horse had been a best priced 10 to 1 to go one better than last year at Cheltenham when he was a gallant runner-up to Brave Inca. Macs Joy was also fifth to Hardy Eustace in the 2005 Champion Hurdle.
Last week, both of Ireland's main contenders for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, War Of Attrition and In Compliance, were ruled out of the festival and the top novice hurdler, Arrive Sir Clive, also picked up a muscle injury during the week which keeps him out of the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle.
A total of 21 horses were left in Thursday's Ladbrokes World Hurdle at yesterday's forfeit stage and they are dominated by the market leaders, Black Jack Ketchum, the 2005 Stayers hero Inglis Drever and the five-year-old Blazing Baileys.
The Paul Nolan-trained Kill Devil Hill as well as last year's Champion Chase runner-up Fota Island from Mouse Morris's yard are among the 19 remaining in the Ryanair Chase on the same day.
Today's home action is a six-race card at Fairyhouse where the chase contests had to be abandoned earlier in the week due to untraceable ground. Michael Bowe will have his first runners under his own name when both Sweet Kiln and You Sir line up for the opening conditions hurdle and the 142-rated Sweet Kiln should have little more than a workout to complete a hat-trick.
Bowe takes over from his father, James, who officially held the licence during a golden period for the family when Limestone Lad and Solerina were top hurdling stars. Barry Geraghty is an interesting booking for Brave Inca's stable companion Big Zeb in the second division of the maiden hurdle. This horse proved expensive to follow in bumpers but clearly has talent.
