Flat Out to miss Cheltenham with leg injury

RACING:FLAT OUT will miss the Cheltenham Festival and the rest of this season after picking up a leg injury when an unlucky loser in a Grade One at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The Willie Mullins-trained star unseated his rider when making a bad mistake at the second last in the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase but remained prominent in ante-post betting for the Arkle at Cheltenham.

However, his trainer reported yesterday: “He has a little chip fracture on a hind leg and is out for the season.”

The Mullins team will be represented in today’s conditions hurdle at Navan by Sir Des Champs and this French bred can make his first start in Ireland a winning one.

The Michael O’Leary-owned runner won a decent hurdle race at Auteuil 10 months ago when another Mullins purchase, Sous Les Cieux, finished behind him in third.

Sicilian Secret has been an expensive Mullins horse to follow so far in his career but was only beaten by 11 lengths when fifth to Shot From The Hip at Leopardstown over Christmas.

He is sure to be fancied again today but faces an interesting newcomer in the ex-Michael Stoute trained Ithinkbest, a former lead horse for the Derby and Arc hero Workforce.

C’est Ca is the champion trainer’s runner in the Beginners Chase that also contains smart types like Ad Idem and Gusda.

However, the sole five-year-old in the race is the former Grade Three hurdle winner Cross Appeal who makes his fencing debut for Noel Meade and Paul Carberry.

He missed out on an intended start at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day but gets a nice weight concession today.

Espresso Lady ran third to Samain on her Punchestown debut and can score for Jessica Harrington in the bumper.

Ground conditions rather than the strength of the opposition will determine where Peddlers Cross has his final run before the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

The unbeaten six-year-old will be re-routed to either Sandown or Ffos Las on Saturday week after Haydock’s Champion Hurdle Trial was abandoned at the weekend.