Flemenstar to miss Punchestown Chase

A showdown between Sprinter Sacre and Flemenstar in the Champion Chase at Punchestown next week has been ruled out with the latter set to undergo a wind operation.

The Peter Casey-trained gelding,owned by Stephen Curran from Dunsany, looked set to take the season by storm after winning his first two starts of the campaign in impressive fashion, but things have not gone to plan since.

Flemenstar was narrowly beaten on his first attempt at three miles in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, before chasing home Sir Des Champs in the Hennessy Gold Cup in February.

He missed the Cheltenham Festival after it was discovered he was suffering from a lung infection and although he returned to action at Aintree, he appeared well below-par in finishing a distant third in the Melling Chase behind Sprinter Sacre, who is among the eight entries remaining in the race.