Betting has opened on the number of Irish-trained winners there will be at this year's Cheltenham Festival and although shortest priced of all is the 9 to 2 about equalling last season's tally of five, one horse who won't be back at Prestbury Park is the County Hurdle victor, Pedrobob.
The Tom Mullins-trained star is out for the rest of this season with a leg problem. "It's only a slight injury to a front leg but he is out for the season," Mullins said.
Pedrobob had been due to return to Leopardstown this Sunday to try and repeat a course and distance win over Christmas in the Grade One Baileys Arkle Trophy. His finest hour came at Cheltenham last March when providing a perfect finale for the Irish in the County Hurdle under Philip Carberry.
The Cork firm Cashmans began the always popular market yesterday and pointed to the fact that of the 17 races they are currently betting on ante-post, just six races have an Irish-trained favourite.
As a result it is 16 to 1 about the Prestbury Park visitors emulating their greatest year in 2006 with 10 winners, it's 50 to 1 about a dozen or more and 100 to 1 about Irish trained-horses drawing a blank.