Baracouda misses walk
Baracouda will miss Tuesday’s totesport Long Walk Hurdle at Chepstow after suffering a minor setback.
Trainer Francois Doumen was not totally satisfied with the 10-year-old after he worked this morning and has decided to bypass the three-mile event.
Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, explained: “Francois was not happy with him after he worked this morning, he just pulled up a bit stiff behind so he’s going to have to miss the race.”
Berry went on: ``He was just a bit stiff and with the travelling and everything, we've decided to give it a miss.
“He was just walking home and wasn’t quite right. Francois doesn’t think it is anything serious, it’s just one of those things.”
Baracouda had been expected to tackle the Grade One feature after it was rescheduled to Chepstow following the abandonment of Windsor last weekend.
The Alesso gelding had not originally been confirmed for the race at the five-day stage after an administrative error at Doumen’s yard, but the abandonment offered him a second chance.
Baracouda’s long-term target remains the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, a race he won twice when it was known as the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Berry added: “I should think Cheltenham would be the long-term plan and we will see what happens.”
