Star chaser Ferny Hollow's comeback on hold as ground halts Fortria bid

Grade 1-winning novice chaser Ferny Hollow will not make his reappearance in the Fortria Chase at Navan after he was withdrawn due to the ground.

The seven-year-old has not been seen since winning the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown in December, having missed the second half of last season, but was due to make his return in the 2m Grade 2.

However, that plan has now been shelved after he was withdrawn by Willie Mullins due to the going at the track, which is described as yielding.

Riviere D'Etel, who finished second in two Grade 1s last season, is now the 11-10 favourite ahead of the Gordon Elliott-trained Andy Dufresne.

While the Fortria Chase lost its star, the top-class Bob Olinger is set to face off against dual Stayers' Hurdle winner Flooring Porter in the Lismullen Hurdle on the same card.

Thousand Tears drifts to 14-1 from 5 for Greatwood Hurdle

Thousand Tears, who was the gambled-on favourite for the Greatwood Hurdle (2.55) earlier in the week, has drifted significantly and is now a double-figure price to land Sunday's feature at Cheltenham.

The Emmet Mullins-trained seven-year-old had been a 5-1 shot for the lucrative handicap hurdle overnight, but is now as big as 14-1 to give his trainer and owner Paul Byrne their second win in the race in the last three years.

Thousand Tears has only raced once for Mullins when down the field in a 1m4f maiden at the Galway festival in the summer, but won twice in 25 starts for previous trainer John Burke.

The Donald McCain-trained A Different Kind has been a big mover with sustained support and is now a 7-1 chance, having been as big as 14-1 earlier in the morning.

A Different Kind finished third in a Grade 2 at the track in January and was narrowly touched off on his return at Aintree last month.

Market movers

Cheltenham

2.55
4. A Different Kind 7-1 (from 14)
9. Thousand Tears 14-1 (from 5)

Ground scuppers Edwardstone Shloer bid

Edwardstone will not make his highly anticipated return to action at Cheltenham on Sunday after being declared a non-runner for the Shloer Chase (1.45) due to the going.

Last season's star novice chaser, who was a brilliant winner of the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival, had been a doubt for the Grade 2 on Saturday evening and trainer Alan King pulled him out of the race just before 8.30am on raceday, with conditions deemed too quick.

He said: "It was an easy decision in the end. I walked the track yesterday and knew he was a doubt, all I needed to do was call the owners as it was not a risk we wanted to take."

The two-time Grade 1 winner could make his return at Ascot next Saturday, where he could drop into handicap company for the Hurst Park Handicap Chase, before he runs in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase next month, which he is a 5-1 shot for.

Alan King: will consider a handicap chase option for Edwardstone at Ascot next SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

King added: "It looks like that there may be some rain coming in next week, which hopefully does arrive, so I'm not ruling out taking him to Ascot next Saturday for the valuable handicap chase and taking his chance.

"It will either be Ascot followed by the Tingle Creek or going straight to Sandown next."

The David Pipe-trained Sizing Pottsie has also been taken out the race to leave a field of three, with last year's winner Nube Negra now the 1-20 favourite to defend his crown.

Non-runners

Cheltenham

1.10
3. Mister Coffey (going)

1.45
2. Sizing Pottise (going)
3. Edwardstone (going)

2.20
5. Ramses De Teillee (going)
8. Slipway (running in second preference race)

2.55
12. Current Mood (going)
13. Playful Saint (going)
16. Castel Gandolfo (bruised foot)

Going remains good after watering

Officials at Cheltenham expect the going to remain good throughout Sunday despite drying conditions after watering the track following racing on Saturday.

Around 5mm of water was applied to the course following the second day of the November meeting and the going remains good ahead of Sunday's six-race card that begins at 1.10.

Clerk of the course Jon Pullin said: "The going remains good and we put 5mm water on selective areas of the track last night, just to make sure that is maintained ahead of racing today."

While another dry day is forecast, Pullin does not expect conditions to quicken up further before racing.

He added: "There's minimal winds forecast, so we're hoping to be able to maintain conditions and good ground throughout the day."

Sunday's previews:

1.45 Cheltenham: Nube Negra faces just two rivals in Shloer Chase repeat bid

1.55 Navan: Flooring Porter v Bob Olinger: analysis and insight for a huge Lismullen clash

2.55 Cheltenham: 'He couldn't be in a better place' - top trainers on their Greatwood chances

3.30 Cheltenham: Nicky Henderson newcomer bids to emulate Altior in Supreme Trial

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