Willie Mullins has confirmed that four-time Grade 1 winner is set for a long spell on the sidelines after sustaining an injury.
Ballyburn Ruled Out For All Of Next Season
Second to Home By The Lee in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier this month, Ballyburn looked almost back to his best but that momentum is now holted by an injury.
Willie Mullins confirmed the news to Sporting Life, saying Ballyburn will be out for the rest of this season and next year too.
“Ballyburn has unfortunately sustained an injury that will rule him out for the rest of this season and next year too. It’s very disappointing given how well he ran at Cheltenham.”
And Mullins is correct, Ballyburn ran with great credit in the Stayers’ Hurdle. He could have easily been the winner but met trouble at the final flight and right after it too, scuppering his chances of getting past Home By The Lee.
WATCH: 2026 Stayers’ Hurdle Finish
👀 Fifth time lucky! 11-year-old Home By The Lee wins the @paddypower Stayers’ Hurdle in his fifth run in the race! pic.twitter.com/FPfAnUQTET
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2026
Ronnie Bartlett & David Manasseh’s horse has been hard to get right recently, but he’s still a four-time Grade 1 winner and a very talented horse. It’s a huge shame that we won’t get to see him at this year’s Aintree Grand National meeting.
His last win was at the 2025 Dublin Racing Festival when he won the Ladbrokes Novices’ Chase in a canter and many thought of him as a Gold Cup horse from then on.
But his tendancies to jump badly over fences forced connections into reverting back to hurdling where he is a three-time Grade 1 winner in the code.
Big wins over hurdles include the 2024 Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle and he almost achieved Grade 1 glory again twice this season.
He was beaten just a nose by Teahupoo in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and the best of his efforts in a long time came when last seen at Cheltenham.
All of us at Read Horse Racing wish Ballyburn a speedy recovery and we hope to see him back on track soon.
