Ballyburn facing significant spell on the sidelines

Ballyburn will miss the rest of this season and the entirety of next campaign after suffering injury.

A four-time Grade One winner for trainer Willie Mullins and owners Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh, the eight-year-old was last seen filling the runner-up spot behind Home By The Lee in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Willie Mullins told Sporting Life: “Ballyburn has unfortunately sustained an injury that will rule him out for the rest of this season and next year too.

“It’s very disappointing given how well he ran at Cheltenham.”

Ballyburn looked every inch a top-class performer in the making when winning what is now the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival two years ago, but was bitterly disappointing in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase last term.

Having reverted to the smaller obstacles this term, he was narrowly beaten by Teahupoo in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and while he was well beaten by the same rival at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting, he bounced back to something like his best in the Stayers’ Hurdle.

However, he is now set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.