Heavy ground scuppers Ferny Hollow’s Gowran return

Ferny Hollow will not make his long-awaited return to action in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran on Saturday due to the going.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding was at one stage amongst the most exciting horses in training, winning the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham by two and half lengths in 2020.

He ran just the once over hurdles, winning a maiden ahead of Bob Olinger, and over a year later he returned to the track to start his chasing career in December 2021.

His debut over fences was a four-length Punchestown victory, after which he landed the Grade One Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown before injury intervened.

Now a nine-year-old, Ferny Hollow was entered to make his comeback at the weekend –  some 783 days after his last start.

The ground at Gowran is heavy, however, and connections have therefore decided this weekend will not be right opportunity to reintroduce the horse to the racecourse.

Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “He’s not running because of the ground.

“I know that Willie was hoping to run him but obviously he’s been off a while, he has had a lot of issues over the last year or two.

“We’re just creeping back towards a run so we’ll see what happens, but at this point in time it’s not quite going to happen.”