Sir Alex Ferguson big Cheltenham Festival shout injured for season

Feb 4, 2026 - 16:15

Sir Alex Ferguson part owner of Live Conti trained by Dan Skelton have received a big blow to their season as the horse has been ruled out of Cheltenham Festival and the rest of the season.

The five-year-old has looked promising since switching to Skelton’s yard and won on British debut at Wetherby before placing well last month in a Class 2 handicap hurdle.

Sir Alex Ferguson would have been hopeful with what was a promising County Hurdle runner

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Just 11 months ago Live Conti was 16/1 to land the Juvenile Hurdle and was an impressive second in that Grade 1 at Aintree.

The then four-year-old bypassed the Triumph at Cheltenham Festival in 2025 were he was backed in to 20/1 following his impressive Wetherby success in February.

Live Conti was a little disappointing in a Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle back in December but was a promising third of 14 at Windsor subsequently at 12/1.

That put him right up there in the County Hurdle being rated 142 and looking on the up, even going into single digits favourite last week.

However, Skelton said there was no chance he will line up at Cheltenham Festival next month.

Skelton broke the news on X that the Sir Alex co-owned horse suffered a season ending injury.

The trainer wrote: “Unfortunately Live Conti has tendon strain and will not make Cheltenham. He’ll be back in training next winter.”

It really adds to the blow of horse racing ownership as he also suffered a big loss when Kalif Du Berlais tragically passed just a few weeks ago.

Skelton spoke post-race at Aintree in April 2025: “I think Live Conti is a very, very good horse. He was giving 7lb to the winner, who has all of that experience, and he was a little keen the whole way around. I was very, very happy with him.

“He’ll stay hurdling next season and then go chasing the year after. He’ll be a very exciting novice chaser, but next season we’ll be picking our targets. It’s not easy for them, but he’s good.”

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