No excuses for Foxrock Owner Barry Connell is convinced Foxrock ran below his best in last week's National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. The Ted Walsh-trained six-year-old was sent off the 3-1 favourite for the four-mile contest but could only finish ninth. While Connell does not necessarily blame the ground for his poor display, he is only likely to run at the Punchestown Festival if rain arrives. "It's hard to know why he didn't perform," said Connell. "I don't think the ground was necessarily an issue. I don't know whether he stayed or not, but I think it's safe to say he didn't run up to his best. "He'd been very consistent going into Cheltenham, winning his two Grade Twos. "I'm not sure what the plan will be for him now. It will all depend on the ground. "He has already achieved a lot, so I'm not too bothered if he doesn't run again this season. "Having said that, if Punchestown get plenty of rain, we could think about running him there, so we'll see."
