Limestone Lad to miss Navan on Sunday
Limestone Lad is coughing and will miss his intended prep race for the Cheltenham Festival at Navan on Sunday.
James Bowe’s prolific winner was due to run in the McCabe Builders Boyne Hurdle but the trainer’s son Michael explained: “He is coughing. He was due to do a piece of work on Tuesday morning. I just hacked him up and giving him a canter he just started coughing so we stopped immediately.
“He’s on treatment and as a consequence he won’t be going to Navan on Sunday. The vet says I should have him back in two weeks.”
Limestone Lad is William Hill’s 9-4 second favourite behind 15-8 chance Baracouda for the Bonusprint Stayers’ Hurdle at next month’s Festival.
“I am just hoping Navan is not the only thing I have to sacrifice,” added Bowe. “It could have happened at a better time but there is a bug going around and I couldn’t escape it forever. I just wish it had happened at a different time.
“He’s eaten his feed but it’s just the cough that’s there and we are treating it.
“He started his treatment and it’s a seven-day withdrawal period so Navan was out of the equation anyway.
“Hopefully with treatment it will only take a week or two weeks and if that’s the case I should be back on track again.”
The stable’s other Cheltenham hope Solerina has so far escaped the cough.
“She’s fine,” Bowe said, “But you just don’t like it being in the place.
“I’ve got to keep Limestone Lad isolated away from her but if it’s in the air it’s very contagious that’s the worrying thing about it.”
Solerina is an 8-1 shot with Coral for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
