Istabraq may already be winding down from the current championship winning season, but this is unlikely to be a pattern repeated next year when the three-time Champion Hurdle winner will probably have his first race only at Christmas.
With the Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown festival now a valuable late-season alternative, Istabraq's seasonal debut, which has been in the McManus Memorial Hurdle in October for the last number of years, is set be delayed.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he has a shorter season, starting at Christmas," said trainer Aidan O'Brien. "That would allow him have a couple of races before having a go at a fourth Champion Hurdle and also give him a chance to go to Punchestown."
The Ballydoyle trainer reported that Istabraq scoped clean after his eve-of-Cheltenham nosebleed scare and is now the subject of daily visits from various National School tours.
If Istabraq is held in reserve for a Christmas debut next season, that could allow the likes of current top novice Youlneverwalkalone to take his place in the Tipperary event in October, which is sponsored by owner JP McManus.
Other news of O'Brien's small but quality-laden National Hunt string is that Kilcash Castle will be given a first start over hurdles at the Punchestown festival, with a spin on the flat at Clonmel for a warm-up.
Before that, the Ballydoyle trainer is set to run the latest of his classic hopes, Apollo Victoria, at Gowran Park on Saturday. He could also run the smart two-year-old newcomer Keats in the opener at the Kilkenny track. Walter Swinburn enjoyed his first success since returning to race riding earlier this month when newcomer Blue Forest obliged at Newcastle yesterday. Three-time Derby winner Swinburn forced his mount to the front in the final 100 yards to defeat Charlie Parkes by half a length in the EBF Maiden Stakes.
It was Swinburn's first winner since Lavery in the Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown in August 1998.
The jockey was forced onto the sidelines because of weight problems and only returned to action on March 16th.
After being given a warm reception by a sparse Newcastle crowd, Swinburn said: "That was a lovely feeling. It's been so long since the last one and that's just what I needed."
Meanwhile, Barney Curley, who famously refused to accept the trophy after Magic Combination won the Imperial Cup at Sandown early this month, is likely to be back in the winner's enclosure after today's Nottingham Handicap.
The trainer's Classic Referendum looks to have a fine chance to bounce back to winning form in this 0-70 contest.
His charge came to hand early in 1999 when trained in Ireland by Liam Browne and won at Leopardstown and Wexford.
Though unplaced in seven outings after moving to Curley's stable in Newmarket, the six-year-old looks potentially very well in at the weights, after a 16 lb drop in the handicap since his British debut.
And the booking of Frankie Dettori for the ride suggests his very shrewd connections are confident.
