Foot issue scuppers Gentlemansgame’s Christmas run

Nick Robson
December 19, 2023 11:57 am

Charlie Hall winner will bypass Leopardstown’s Savills Chase.

Mouse Morris has been forced to rule Gentlemansgame out of his Christmas objective in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown due to a minor foot injury.

The grey burst on the three-mile chase scene when beating last year’s King George winner Bravemansgame in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Morris had been preparing the lightly-raced seven-year-old for the Leopardstown highlight ever since, but the Robcour-owned gelding will now wait for either the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham or the Dublin Racing Festival.

“He’s just got a small issue with a foot, it’s nothing I’m concerned about but it’s the the timing of it that is a pain,” said Morris.

Gentlemansgame (left) beat Bravemansgame at Wetherby (Nigel French/PA)

“It’s not serious, it’s just a total pain, so we’ll look at Cheltenham now or the Dublin Racing Festival, something like that.

“Unfortunately it’s been the case with him he’s had niggly issue that have kept him off the track but at least this is not one of his old problems, it’s just one of them things.”

Morris also had news of French Dynamite, third to Classic Getaway at Thurles last month.

“He came out of Thurles well, but he’s very hard to place now,” said Morris.

“I think I’m considering trying to get him qualified for the National so he needs to be placed over three miles, that might be what we do. We’ll jiggle him around a bit.”