Foot Injury Keeps Little Big Bear on Sidelines
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Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post
Little Big Bear wins the Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh
Longines Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh has been dealt a blow with the news that superstar juvenile Little Big Bear is likely to miss the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1) while recovering from a foot injury.
It had been touch and go as to whether the Royal Ascot-winning 2-year-old would contest the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1) earlier this month after the clip of his shoe went into his hind foot when kicking a wall before the race.
However, after being given the green light to race, Little Big Bear blew apart his rivals by seven lengths in an outstanding performance.
Described at the time as being a similar issue to a human pulling off a fingernail, the injury has kept Ireland's highest-rated performer out of full training since and looks set to rule him out of the Sept. 11 assignment.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien told the Racing Post Aug. 26: "Little Big Bear isn't back in full work and just hasn't fully recovered from that foot injury yet.
"There's every chance that he'll probably miss the National Stakes. We'll give him whatever time he needs, but he isn't back (working) yet."
Pressed on whether the son of No Nay Never will return in the Oct. 8 Darley Dewhurst Stakes (G1), O'Brien said: "Absolutely, but it will be totally up to him. There'll be no chance taken with him in any way."