Racing round-up: Feathard Lady, ante-post favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, has been ruled out of the Irish equivalent later this month.
Wexford trainer Colm Murphy said the six-year-old has suffered a setback which will see her miss the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle on January 29th.
Murphy has not, however, ruled his exciting prospect out of the Cheltenham race.
"She has sprained her off-hind fetlock joint," Murphy said. "She will definitely miss the Irish Champion Hurdle but we don't know yet how long she will be out."
Murphy continued: "The vet had a look at her this morning but we will know more in a couple of days to a week.
"She did a canter yesterday morning and everything seemed fine but when she pulled out of her box this morning she was lame."
Feathard Lady shot to the head of the Champion Hurdle betting after putting up a hugely impressive performance when lifting the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Sandown on St Stephen’s Day.
She beat Self Defense by 12 lengths that day to maintain her unbeaten record, which encompasses five hurdle races and two bumpers.
Feathard Lady and stablemate Brave Inca had dominated the Cheltenham market and although she is currently sidelined, Murphy has not given up all hope of the mare being fit for the Festival.
"It's hard to say anything about Cheltenham at the moment," he added. "We won't know how long she will be off for another couple of days.
"We are lucky she is a mare who doesn't take a lot of work to get to get fit so we wouldn't have given up at this stage."
Timmy Murphy has landed the plum ride on ante-post favourite Victram in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Trainer Adrian McGuinness reports the horse in fine form on the gallops at home and it is all systems go ahead of one of the most competitive races of the season at the Dublin track.
Kauto Star, meanwhile, is firmly on course for next month's totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury after a pleasing spin on the gallops.
The six-year-old worked well this morning and trainer Paul Nicholls was delighted with his condition ahead of the race on February 11th.
Kauto Star was given a short holiday after winning the William Hill - Tingle Creek Trophy last month and is a short-priced favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Nicholls’s other star, Azertyuiop, is reported to be making good progress at owner John Hales' home as he recovers from an over-reach sustained at Sandown last April.
"I haven't seen him for a while but the Hales' have been doing some light exercise with him and I'm told everything is on schedule for him to return to training later in the year," Nicholls said.