Injured Grandouet out of Stan James Champion Hurdle
A serious injury to his near-hind fetlock joint has ruled Grandouet out of next month’s Stan James Champion Hurdle. His exclusion from the Cheltenham Festival would have been a huge setback for the trainer, Nicky Henderson.
The five-year-old gelding picked up the injury a night before his scheduled participation in the Grade 2 Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on the last weekend.
As a result of his omission, the shock entry was given to Grandouet’s stable mate Binocular who eventually won the title for Henderson.
It was certainly a severe injury but the trainer was expecting the situation to improve quickly. He had believed an antibiotic treatment would allow the gelding to take part in the Cheltenham festival.
However, a detailed medical examination showed that the situation was not as good as he would have hoped. Consequently, a surgery was recommended in order to drain fluid from the joint.
A visibly disappointed Henderson told racingpost.com:
"There was further improvement in the joint today but he will not be ready to gallop at the weekend and therefore we'll have to put his Champion Hurdle challenge on hold until next year."
"I've yet to discuss a plan with Simon Munir [owner] but Grandouet is not a horse for two and a half miles and therefore I doubt he'd go to Aintree," he added.
The fitness issues have already ruled Spirit Son out of the Champion Hurdle. Thus, Grandouet’s ouster has dented Henderson’s Cheltenham hopes terribly.
Grandouet, who He ended up third in last season’s Triumph Hurdle, performed tremendously in the last few months. After sealing an emphatic win in the Betfair Hurdle in November last year, the speedy gelding kept the good work going.
In the following month, the Grade 2 StanJames.com International Hurdle saw him displaying a classy act as he outclassed Donald McCain’s Overturn by four lengths to grab an easy victory.
Following his wonderful track record, the bookies awarded him with the second highest odds of 5-1 for the Champion Hurdle. After Grandouet’s exclusion, Binocular is Henderson’s last hope to win the Champion Hurdle. The high profile event is scheduled to
take place on March 13, 2012.
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