RACING: Limestone Lad has just 17 days to recover from the sickness that is threatening his Cheltenham participation or he will miss the festival.
Michael Bowe has set a deadline for the traditional post-race work out at Leopardstown on March 2nd that is just 11 days before the Stayers' Hurdle.
Bowe said yesterday: "He would be sailing out the following week so if he can't go to Leopardstown, and be in good nick there, then he will not be travelling."
Limestone Lad has already been forced to miss out on Sunday's Boyne Hurdle at Navan after he started coughing on Tuesday. He was still coughing yesterday.
Missing out on Cheltenham too would be a blow to connections who had to bypass the festival last year through injury and the year before due to foot and mouth.
"He obviously picked it up at a racecourse. I'm no expert but as far as I'm concerned it will have to run its course, irrespective of whatever treatment he has.
"It could take one week, or two weeks, but if it is beyond two weeks I'll be caught for time. I'm trying to be optimistic but as each day goes by it is becoming harder," Bowe explained.
The one positive note is that the SunAlliance Hurdle hope Solerina is in her trainer's words "clean as a whistle". He added: "We've isolated Limestone Lad who is in a different part of the yard to her. I just hope she stays clear but this thing is very infectious."
Today's action at Thurles is strictly mundane but one horse that might warm the cold crowd is Hegarty in the bumper.
The JP McManus-owned gelding ran an eye-catching debut at Fairyhouse when a fine third behind Zum See and Accordion Etoile.
Both those horses in front of him are highly rated and overall it looked a pretty hot contest. Certainly it looked a better race than today's.
The former St Leger runner-up and Great Voltigeur winner Air Marshall could manage only fourth on his jumping debut at Clonmel behind Theicecreamman.
Today the six-year-old has another crack at hurdling in the opener and the experience should do him good against the Tramore bumper winner Kymandjen.
Aura About Him is 9lb higher for a 10-length defeat of Lanmire Glen at Punchestown recently and looks capable of following up in the novice handicap chase.
