Harry Redknapp dealt huge blow as star horse ruled out of Cheltenham Festival
Harry Redknapp dealt huge blow as star horse ruled out of Cheltenham Festival
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Harry Redknapp has been dealt a huge blow after his best racehorse was ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival. Since his last job in the Premier League as manager of Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham, Redknapp has devoted an increasing amount of his time to racing.
In March last year he celebrated his first success at the Cheltenham Festival when Shakem Up’Arry won the Plate. He nearly enjoyed two winners when The Jukebox Man led for nearly every stride of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. He cleared the last hurdle holding a clear advantage under jockey Kielan Woods, but the nearer he got to the winning post, the more the horse started to paddle and was caught near the line by 33-1 chance Stellar Story.
Since that defeat The Jukebox Man has emerged as an even better chaser. He impressed at Newbury on his debut before dominating the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. Connections had been looking forward to a return to Cheltenham in March for either the Arkle Trophy or the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, but the seven-year-old is now set for a period on the sidelines.
Trainer Ben Pauling announced on X, “The Jukebox Man has this morning sustained an injury during routine exercise that will sadly rule him out for the rest of the season. “At this early stage, the feedback from our veterinary team and the specialists is positive that we can look forward to seeing him return in the autumn.
