Fenton suffers another bad break

14 April 2012

Barry Fenton's cruel luck with injuries has returned to haunt him after it emerged today that he broke a leg for the second time in less than a year at Fontwell yesterday.

Fenton smashed his right leg in a spill at Huntingdon last March and had to have a metal pin inserted from hip to knee before returning in November.

A shoulder problem led to another costly lay-off late in 2004, and the injuries suffered when French Direction crashed out at the second last in a novice chase yesterday mean that Fenton is set to miss the Cheltenham Festival and could be out until well into the summer.

Trainer Emma Lavelle, who has been one of the Irishman's biggest supporters, confirmed the bad news

while suggesting that this fracture may not prove so damaging as last year's injury.

"He's got a fracture in his right leg in a similar place, though it doesn't seem as bad as before," she said.

"He was in as good a spirit as you could expect, but this is really gutting for him. He was off for eight months last season and it's unbelievable that he could be so unlucky again."

Cheltenham's final meeting before the Festival this Saturday promises to throw up some major clues for the big races in March, though the signs suggest that both the Pillar Property Chase and the Victor Chandler Chase are likely to be contested by smallish fields.

Martin Pipe's Well Chief continues to hold the key to the Victor Chandler and is 5-2 favourite with the sponsors to make amends for his unlucky fall at Wetherby three weeks ago.

Paul Nicholls feels Thisthatandtother represents a big danger to the favourite, but punters looking for value at longer odds moved for his stablemate Kadarann today and the eight-year-old is now 10-1 having been available at 14-1.

Elsewhere, the Pillar Chase seems set to feature a clash between several proven stayers and one emerging novice after Nigel-Twiston-Davies gave the all clear for Ollie Magern to run.

Saturday's race was re-opened until this morning after attracting just six entries. Irish raider Cloudy Bays and no-hoper Strong Magic were the only additions, and Carl Llewellyn feels the Gold Cup could even come into the equation if Ollie Magern handles the step up in class.

He said: "He's run some cracking races and, if he ran a hell of a race on Saturday, you would have to start thinking about the Gold Cup."

Meanwhile, Ed Dunlop's dual Oaks and Breeders' Cup heroine Ouija Board received the latest in a long line of awards for her exploits on the Flat in 2004 when she was crowned champion turf female at the Eclipse Award in Los Angeles last night.

Ghostzapper's scintillating Breeders' Cup Classic success saw him gain the coveted Horse of the Year award ahead of Smarty Jones, whose Kentucky Derby win earned him the title of champion three-yearold male.

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Fenton suffers another bad break

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