Harchibald Misses Kempton

Noel Meade has reported that Harchibald will not be travelling over to Kempton to contest the Christmas Hurdle.

The mercurial seven-year-old suffered a slight setback when being prepared for the ?Fighting Fifth' Hurdle at Newcastle last month.

In ruling out Harchibald from a clash with Straw Bear at Kempton, Meade revealed he could be represented by Jazz Messenger, a winner at Thurles on Sunday.

'I didn't see Jazz Messenger's race but I was told he jumped very well, and he could go for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton,' said Meade.

'That would be instead of Harchibald. He is in great order and is in full work and is 100% sound, but he won't be ready in time for that race.

'I'd have to do too much with him between now and then to get him ready for the race and with the type of muscle injury he has had, that would do him more harm than good,' he told At The Races.

'If we ran him a week too soon it could put him back another month.

'He'll now be aimed at something in January, but I'm not sure what yet.

'In one respect it has done him no harm to miss this part of the season as the way the ground has been he wouldn't have run anyway.'

(C) PA Sport