The Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novices' Chase at Leopardstown could come too soon for Bog Warrior.
Eight year old takes time to recover from crashing fall
Tony Martin has admitted that the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novices' Chase at Leopardstown could come too soon for Bog Warrior.
Martin's exciting prospect took a crashing fall in the Racing Post Novice Chase on Boxing Day on his latest start and has been given plenty of time to recover.
"He got a right fall, he hit his head fair hard, he was very confused after it and sore and then unfortunately our other horse (Gift Of Dgab) coming along behind gave him a right kicking and galloped all over him and gave him a right few bangs and bruises.
"It took him a while to come out of it and hopefully he'll come out of it now the right way and, as I say, I've been quite happy with him on Sunday morning and he's been out all the time and in gentle exercise at the moment.
"Everyday he's progressed the right way and we're very happy the way he's going at the moment but just after a fall like he got the other day we'd like to give him plenty of time, I don't want to rush him back." Martin told
At The Races.
Precautionary Entry
The County Meath based handler admitted that his entry for the Grade One contest over two miles and a furlong later this month was purely precautionary:
"The Arkle may come a little too quick, it was a precaution that we stuck him in the entries last week but I'm quite happy with him."
The eight year old has had just six starts and his only defeats have come when he has failed to complete the course, falling last time and in a maiden hurdle.
He announced himself as a very smart prospect when slamming Shinrock Paddy by 31 lengths in the Grade One Bar One Drinmore Novice Chase and Martin believes that the sky is the limit.
"He's a very, very good horse and we just hope that he comes back to what he was but I say it's just every day with him at the moment and at the end of the month we'll know a lot more.
"Without doubt, he's probably the best I've had my hands on. I think the world of him he could be anything," Martin added.
