Winged Leader on a break but options open for Vaucelet David Christie has given updates on two of his hunter chasers who were both beaten into second by Billaway at Cheltenham and Punchestown. Winged Leader was caught on the line and beaten a neck by Billaway in the St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase at Prestbury Park and will have further time off. "Winged Leader is on a break now - we just decided that with the ground quickening up the way it has. He is a very big, heavy horse and we just wouldn't risk him," Christie said. Vaucelet went toe-to-toe with Billaway in the Irish Daily Star Champion Hunters Steeplechase at Punchestown last month but a bad mistake at the last saw him settle for second. "He was getting up and then he made a horrendous mistake. He had no time to get back into it. He's only seven and he ran a tremendous race," the trainer said. "We'll give him a week and then we will assess what we do. Vaucelet loves the nice ground."
