Salsify in race against Cheltenham clock

The dual-Foxhunters hero Salsify faces a race against time to be fit for a possible hat-trick attempt at Cheltenham next month.

Rodger Sweeney's star has missed two pieces of scheduled work since knocking a joint and has already been ruled out of Sunday's Raymond Smith Memorial at Leopardstown.

“We thought we’d be able to help him get over it but we haven’t so we’ll just have to keep monitoring it. If he misses work next week then he won’t be going to Cheltenham. You can’t go there unless you’re 100 per cent fit,” Sweeney said yesterday.

Willie Mullins is targeting Smashing at Saturday's Betfair Hurdle in Newbury.

“We were happy with how he worked this morning and he is an intended runner,” he reported. “I would imagine Andrew Lynch will travel over to ride and hopefully conditions should be fine for him.”