Pittoni 50-50 to make Triumph

Charles Byrnes describes Pittoni's chance of lining up for the JCB Triumph Hurdle as “50-50” as the son of Peintre Celebre is in a race against time to recover from a minor injury picked up when third at Navan last Saturday.

The former John Oxx inmate was one of the leading fancies for the “Triumph” after completing a hat-trick over hurdles by landing the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown last month.

However he tasted defeat for the first time over jumps when taking on older horses in the Grade 2 Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Navan, finishing third to Coole River.

“The vet after the race at Navan said he was 'clinically abnormal' which covers a whole range of different ailments. He was sound when he came home but we weren't that happy with him on Tuesday and took him to the vet who diagnosed he has a slight strain in a joint,” explained the Limerick trainer.

Byrnes added, “It's 50-50 whether he'll make the Triumph and the horse will tell us that. If the race was on a week earlier he definitely wouldn't be going. It's not ideal but if we're happy with the horse he'll go and if we're not he won't go.”