High-class older horse White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) is set to miss the remainder of the season due to a hock injury, it was announced on Monday.
Trained by John Murphy, White Birch kicked off the campaign in the best possible fashion with three straight wins at the Curragh, notably gaining his first success at the top level when last seen beating Auguste Rodin by three lengths in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in May.
That performance identified him as potentially a leading player for the major middle-distance prizes during the summer, but he was subsequently ruled out of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes and Coral-Eclipse due to unsatisfactory blood results.
The Murphy team had hoped to get him back for the autumn and a tilt at next weekend's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, but those plans have now had to be shelved after this latest setback.
George Murphy, assistant to his father, said, “He's just strained his near hock and he has to have box rest for three to four weeks, so unfortunately that will rule him out.
“It's just bad timing and it's unfortunate, but we're looking forward to him next year.”
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