Spirit Son is set to miss the 2012 Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after the superstar suffered another setback.(credit:
Will Palmer)
Spirit Son is set to miss the 2012 Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after the superstar suffered another setback.
The six-year-old hasn’t been seen since demolishing a high class field in a Grade Two at Aintree last April and trainer Nicky Henderson is having trouble getting the hurdler fit.
Henderson is now worried that he could miss the whole season and the handler explained: "The picture is grey. If you are going to miss two weeks at this point of the game, you are really out of the ball park.
"We had a hiccup with him earlier on (in the season) which cost me three weeks, but this was a new problem.
"I'd rather start next season with a horse in one piece piece than risk him and lose him for this season and next.
"Everything went great in his gallop the other day but Barry thought that he needed it and we ruled out Ireland (Irish Champion Hurdle)
"But we do have a problem and we will have to monitor it. When you have a problem with a good horse it's all over the world before you know it owing to the exchanges.
"The work was great, but I fear we've got to take things very carefully."