Arkle favourite Ferny Hollow ruled out of Cheltenham Festival through injury

Red-hot Sporting Life Arkle favourite Ferny Hollow will miss the Cheltenham Festival after suffering a suspensory ligament injury.

A top-priced 6-4 favourite for the day one two-mile novice chase, Ferny Hollow will miss the remainder of the season.

Willie Mullins said: "He came home very sore from Leopardstown and we were just hoping he might have got away with it. He did his first canter during the week and, unfortunately, he's sore again after it. We've decided to pull up stumps for the whole season, rather than trying to get him back for Punchestown.

Big-race entries: Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase

"It's very disappointing, but at least he has his Grade 1 win this season and we have a lot to look forward to with him in the future."

Mullins has won four of the past seven runnings of the Arkle at Cheltenham and, while the loss of such an exciting prospect is a cruel blow ahead of this year's festival, he still has some live contenders for the prestigious event. Chief among those is the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Blue Lord, who is now shading the market lead from Edwardstone at odds of around 11-4.

Two from two over fences, the seven-year-old was last seen bolting up at odds of 1-4 at Naas on January 2 and holds entries in both the Irish Arkle and the Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Other Closutton entries for the two-mile Cheltenham novice include the likes of Saint Sam, Haut En Couleurs, Ciel De Niege and Jungle Boogie. They are all smart horses, but there is no denying Ferny Hollow's injury deprives the team of a deeply exciting prospect.

Conqueror of Appreciate It in the 2020 Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, he also beat Bob Olinger on his hurdling bow at Gowran Park later that year. However, he then was not seen for over 12 months before he returned for his chasing debut at Punchestown last December, having suffered what connections believed to be a stress fracture, so he is clearly quite fragile.

Chris Richardson, Cheveley Park Stud managing director, said of Ferny Hollow's latest setback: "It's a minor suspensory ligament issue, so he will miss Cheltenham."

Sporting Life Arkle

bet365: 11-4 Blue Lord, 3 Edwardstone, 6 Riviere d'Etel, 8 Haut En Couleurs, 10 Third Time Lucki, 12 Saint Sam, 16 bar

Expert view: 'Mullins still has the most likely winner'

The loss of Ferny Hollow from the Arkle is a bitter pill for Willie Mullins to swallow, especially after getting him back from injury in such good shape this season, but he can be consoled by the fact he still has by far the most likely winner in Blue Lord.

A faller at the last when booked for second in last year's Supreme, he is two from two over fences and has been flawless in both starts.

He looks a complete natural who has already proved he handles the track and his current price of 3-1 looks on the generous side. He should be very hard to beat and I would prefer his profile to Edwardstone.
David Jennings, deputy Ireland editor

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