Limestone Lad misses Cheltenham Festival

Limestone  Lad will be prepared for the Punchestown Festival in late April after the star stayer was yesterday definitely ruled out of Cheltenham, reports Brian O'Connor.

The James Bowe-owned and trained horse has failed to recover quickly enough from the freak paddock accident that left him with muscle problems in his back.

Hopes had been raised some days after the accident that Limestone Lad might make the Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle after all but Bowe's son, Michael, has now finally admitted defeat.

"Cheltenham is not going to happen. I hate being pessimistic but I'm not going to risk the horse's health. The timing has been all wrong and his preparation has been turned upside down. I suppose it was just not meant to be," he said.

Christy Roche sends a team of horses to Thurles today and they are headed by the high-class Risk Accessor in the Killinan Chase. Risk Accessor missed last weekend's Moriarty Chase for this task but he is a horse who has proved expensive to follow this season and maybe Masalarian, fifth to Moscow Flyer in the Denny, could be a better bet.