McNally worried about Stayers' Hurdle hope Jam Man The Jam Man could miss the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next week after owner/trainer Ronan McNally revealed his stablestar has disappointed in a couple of recent workouts. The son of Papal Bull won six times for McNally in the space of 18 months culminating with a valuable success in the €80,000 eCOMM Merchant Solutions Handicap Hurdle at Navan in December. The progressive seven-year-old gelding beat all bar Treacysenniscorthy last time out in the William Fry Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown. However, the Armagh trainer is concerned about his well-being and may scrap plans for a tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle next Thursday. “He didn’t work well at Leopardstown (on Monday) and his bit of work before that wasn’t great so he’ll do a blow on Saturday and if things don’t go to plan we won’t go,” said McNally on Racing TV. “It’s disappointing as he never lets you down in his work but the last twice he has. We got a bit of work done with a chiropractor on the way home from Leopardstown and we found a couple of wee issues. “We’ll give him a couple of days and see. We’ll not go just to make up the numbers and unless he’s right we’ll wait for Punchestown or Aintree.” The Jam Man is a 50/1 chance with the sponsors for the Stayers’ Hurdle, with Paisley Park a red-hot favourite at 4/6.
