Curragh blow as Little Big Bear set to miss National Stakes over foot injury

Longines Irish Champions Weekend has been dealt a blow with the news that superstar juvenile Little Big Bear is likely to miss the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes while recovering from a foot injury.

It had been touch and go as to whether the Royal Ascot-winning two-year-old would contest the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes earlier this month after the clip of his shoe went into his hind foot when kicking a wall before the race.

However, after being given the green light to race, Little Big Bear blew apart his rivals by seven lengths in an outstanding performance.

Described at the time as being a similar issue to a human pulling off a fingernail, the injury has kept Ireland's highest-rated performer out of full training since and looks set to rule him out of the September 11 assignment.

Speaking on Friday afternoon, Aidan O'Brien told the Racing Post: "Little Big Bear isn't back in full work and just hasn't fully recovered from that foot injury yet.

Little Big Bear: produced an exceptional display in the Keeneland Phoenix StakesCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

"There's every chance that he'll probably miss the National Stakes. We'll give him whatever time he needs, but he isn't back in work yet."

Pressed on whether returning in the Dewhurst Stakes on October 8 remains an option, O'Brien said: "Absolutely, but it will be totally up to him. There'll be no chance taken with him in any way."

A Racing Post Rating of 122 for Little Big Bear's Phoenix win ranks as the joint-seventh best winning performance by any O'Brien-trained two-year-old, with the Irish handicapper handing him an official mark of 124.

He tops the market for next year's Qipco 2,000 Guineas, priced between 7-2 and 4-1.

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