Cheltenham Festival County Hurdle favourite Fortune De Mer out with injury

The County Hurdle had been the long-term plan for Fortune De Mer who had been enjoying a successful first season over hurdles.

Fourteenth in the Champion Bumper at last season's Cheltenham Festival, Fortune De Mer was beaten into third on his hurdling bow at Uttoxeter but improved significantly to win the Grade 2 Sharp Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on his second start.

The six-year-old's attentions were then switched to handicaps and Fortune De Mer found only Trustintimes too strong at Ascot before going one better at Cheltenham's December meeting to keep the County Hurdle dream very much alive.

Those plans have had to be shelved for the time being with Skelton revealing on his X account that Fortune De Mer has suffered a tendon injury.

Skelton, though, is hopeful that Fortune De Mer will be able to make a full recovery and to be back in action next October.

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