No Cheltenham for Skyace as Shark Hanlon rules Grade 1 winner out for the season

Skyace will miss the Cheltenham Festival and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season but trainer Shark Hanlon is hoping his first and only Grade 1 winner will grace the track once more.

The Mares' Hurdle had been the long-term target for Skyace, who Hanlon picked up for just £600 out of Willie Mullins' yard in 2019, but an injury sustained while finishing third at Sandown this month has scuppered the plan.

Skyace suffered two chips to her knee when travelling smoothly approaching the second-last in the Listed contest before coming off the bridle under regular rider Jody McGarvey to finish third behind Martello Sky.

While this season has been brought to a premature halt for Skyace, her trainer is hopeful that his stable star will race again, with his vets upbeat about a full recovery.

Shark Hanlon (left) with Skyace following her Grade 1 success at FairyhouseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Hanlon said: "Skyace was lame coming back into the parade ring at Sandown and we knew straight away that it happened at the second-last. She went from cruising to off the bridle in a couple of strides. I don't know if she put her foot in a hole or what happened, but you'd have to say she would have won if it hadn't happened. It's frustrating but that's racing."

The trainer added: "We patched her up and got her home and all we can do now is give her a few months off and hope she can come right. Gerry Kelly and Gerry O'Sullivan [vets] are both quietly optimistic that she will make a full recovery, so hopefully we will get her back on the track next season."

Skyace finished fourth in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last season before bagging the Grade 1 Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse. She had been a general 33-1 chance to win the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 15.

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