Azorian given time A reason has emerged for Azorian's disappointing run at Leopardstown last weekend. The high-class six-year-old was last of six behind Vautour in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle having never previously been out of the first three in his career. Trainer Eoin Griffin said: "We discovered an issue with his breathing and he's had a minor procedure done earlier this week to rectify it. It was a relief in some respect to find a reason for his poor run at Leopardstown, and hopefully he can go on from here. "I wouldn't put the ground down as a problem for him. It was bottomless when he won his point-to-point and he handles soft ground well. I don't think that's an issue, it's just on heavy ground his breathing was catching him out. "We'll probably drop him back in class when we return with him, and try and get a confidence booster for him in a winners' of one or a novice hurdle. It will probably take seven or eight weeks before he's ready to return to the track."
