Racing

Sizing John’s Leopardstown travails remain a mystery

Jessica Harrington’s Gold Cup winner’s distress unexplained as bloods return normal

Trainer Jessica Harrington, second from right, with Sizing John. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Fri Dec 29 2017 - 18:02

Trainer Jessica Harrington will continue to try to get to the bottom of Sizing John's below-par effort in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase on Thursday after initial blood tests returned normal.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner failed to fire in the Grade One contest, for which he was sent off the 9-10 favourite, trailing home a well-beaten seventh behind winner Road to Respect.

“All the bloods came back normal,” said Harrington.

“We’ll take more bloods at the weekend, but he’s sound and he ate up.”

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Following the race, the seven-year-old was reported to be distressed and found to be clinically abnormal after being examined by veterinary staff at the track.

Harrington reported Sizing John had suffered from slight hyperthermia and being too hot, but he recovered once he had cooled down.

Gutsy display

Fabulous Saga put up a gutsy display to get back up and grab the Grade Two honours in the Guinness Novice Hurdle at Limerick.

Danny Mullins set out to make all over the three miles on the five-year-old, but he was headed two out, where Burren Life took over.

Her effort proved short-lived, while the Willie Mullins-trained Fabulous Saga rallied in admirable fashion as his abundant stamina kicked in.

The 8-13 favourite regained the lead on jumping the last and went away to score by three and three-quarter lengths from Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work, who overtook tired stablemate Burren Life on the run-in.

Speaking from Leopardstown, Mullins said: “Fabulous Saga was very brave. Danny was very good to get that last jump out of him and put him back in the race.

“He’s an amazing horse because he had a very hard race in Mallow, and I wondered whether it would tell on him. I thought it was telling on him after the second-last and the next thing he put his head down and battled again.”

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