Conor O'Dwyer, who sat out yesterday nursing a shoulder injury, suffered more bad luck this morning when it was decided that both his fancied rides, Native Upmanship and Youlneverwalkalone, would be withdrawn from their respective races at Punchestown today.
Trainers Arthur Moore (Native Upmanship) and Christy Roche (Youlneverwalkalone) made the decision after walking the track early this morning.
The sunny weather over Punchestown forced Clerk of the Course, Joe Collins, to change the official going from yielding to good.
Native Upmanship, winner of the Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse eight days ago, was likely to start favourite for today's Heineken Gold Cup.
Youlneverwalkalone would have been the obvious choice in the Grade 1 Stanley Cooker Champion Novice Hurdle but Christy Roche had been quoted yesterday as saying 'This place hasn't been the luckiest for me and, if I find that the ground is in any way fast, I will pull him out.'
