• Horse unscathed after tipping up at third-last in hurdle race• Pelvic injury had kept runner off track after dominating in 2017
Sizing John’s comeback ended badly and dramatically when the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner of 2017 fell at the third-last flight at Punchestown on Tuesday. Some encouragement could have been taken from his effort to that point and he did not hit the hurdle itself but knuckled forward onto his knees a stride after landing.
The horse, who will become a 10-year-old at New Year, appeared to be uninjured as he galloped away after his tumble and he cleared the final two hurdles while riderless. Assuming that no injuries reveal themselves in the next couple of days, Jessica Harrington will presumably seek another race for him in the next six weeks as a potential stepping stone back to Cheltenham in mid-March.