Jonjo O'Neill is to saddle just one runner over the busy Christmas period after his stable was hit by a virus. A bug has laid low some of the top horses at his Jackdaws Castle base in Gloucestershire, where champion Tony McCoy is stable jockey.
O'Neill would normally have a host of runners over the three-day festive period, when 13 meetings are due to take place.
But the trainer only has Quazar entered - in the Stan James Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
He does not have any other runners planned until the yard, which has more than 100 horses, is free from the bug.
The stable's top three-mile chaser Keen Leader will miss a clash with three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate at Leopardstown on Tuesday.
 |  It's bitterly frustrating - We are going to have a quiet time of it until the sickness clears up |
O'Neill said: "He's been below par. A few of them have been, so we decided to wait with him."
The Irishman, who made a fast start to the jumps season, has sent out 90 winners so far but has had a 14-runner barren spell since a double at Towcester on 13 December.
"We'll have a quiet Christmas - we have no choice, really. I suppose it gives me a chance to see the family and though it will be nice to spend a bit of time with the boys, it has been forced upon us."
O'Neill said he sympathised with McCoy, who joined him after leaving champion trainer Martin Pipe's yard earlier in the year.
"I was pleased for AP (McCoy) yesterday when he had three winners at Fontwell, but it is frustrating for him as well," said O'Neill on Wednesday.
"We understand that. He wants to have winners - we all do - and you especially want to have winners on the big days, like over Christmas. But we will bide our time."
MMIX
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