Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci’s battalion for the Cheltenham Festival suffered another blow today as the Champion Bumper favourite Getabird was ruled out of the contest and potentially the rest of the season after suffering a setback.
The Closutton handler has had a tumultuous time of things with regards to injury recently with Faugheen and Min last week ruled out of the Festival to accompany Annie Power and Killultagh on the injury-list whilst Avant Tout and Vautour died as a result of injuries.
Getabird has looked impressive in two starts under rules in bumpers this year at Fairyhouse and Gowran Park, justifying odds of 1/10 at the latter racecourse on his last outing. He had been well supported for the Champion Bumper and shaded favouritism at around 5/1.
However, he will no longer be making the trip to Prestbury Park with Joe Chambers, Racing Manager to Rich and Susannah Ricci speaking on Racing UK confirming: “It’s highly unlikely he’ll make Cheltenham and he’s more than likely out for the season. He’s sore behind, unfortunately.
“It may have happened as a result of or during his win at Gowran.
“It’s a bad prognosis in terms of Cheltenham as opposed to his racing career.”
Reflecting on the spate of injuries to have affected Ricci’s squad, Chambers continued: “It’s been tough. Everyone can say it’s part of the game and it happens to everybody, but it feels as though we’ve had a relentless torrent of it in the last couple of weeks.
“But we’ll crack on, we’re lucky enough to have three runners in Grade Ones tomorrow afternoon (at Leopardstown) and we’re still lucky enough to have plenty of candidates for Cheltenham itself.
“It is what it is and we’ve just got to bite our lip and get on with it.”
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