Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack ruled out of the race and rest of the season with tendon injury
GOLD Cup favourite Thistlecrack has been ruled out of the race with a tendon injury.
Colin Tizzard's novice was the hot favourite for the blue riband event despite suffering a narrow defeat to the ill-fated Many Clouds on his last start.
Tizzard told Press Association Sport: "Thistlecrack is out for the season, unfortunately.
"He had a bit of heat in his leg last night and was a bit sore.
"We had the leg scanned this morning and he has a slight tear on his tendon.
"We've seen it at every yard and it happens every year."
Tizzard still has an imposing hand in the Gold Cup - which takes place on March 17 bringing the racing festival to a climax - with his impressive Welsh Grand National winner Native River the new favourite.
Tom Scudamore celebrates crossing the line on Thistlecrack winning the King George on Boxing Day at Kempton
Tizzard also has the veteran Cue Card - who was well beaten by his younger stablemate Thistlecrack in the prestigious King George VI Chase in late December - on course for another tilt at a race which saw him come to grief three fences from home last year when in line for a million pound bonus had he won it.
Thistlecrack was last seen in action at the end of January when pipped in a photo finish to the Cotswold Chase by Many Clouds on Cheltenham's Festival Trials Day.
He was due to be partnered by ex-Cheltenham College student Tom Scudamore, who has never won the race, but has success in the Blue Riband event in the family.
Cheltenham's absentees
THISTLECRACK is the latest big name to miss the Cheltenham Festival.
The list of high-profile list of casualties who will not feature during the biggest week of National Hunt racing due to injury includes:
FAUGHEEN (Champion Hurdle)
A stress fracture finally put paid to any chance of Faugheen trying to repeat his Champion Hurdle success of 2015 after several niggly problems had kept him off the track since he won the Irish equivalent in January 2016.
ANNIE POWER (Champion Hurdle)
Last year's Champion Hurdle heroine was nearing a possible return to action when she suffered a leg injury forcing trainer Willie Mullins to scrap plans for the defence of her crown, and perhaps the rest of the campaign.
MIN (Arkle Trophy)
In the whole scheme of things a bruise is extremely minor, but one has come at the wrong time for Min. His proposed rematch with Altior, who beat him in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, is now off the agenda.
THISTLECRACK (Gold Cup)
Favourite for the blue riband event from a pretty early stage this season, Thistlecrack won each of his three novice starts before graduating to full company with a scintillating success in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. He had to give best to the ill-fated Many Clouds on his final prep run at Cheltenham last month, but a tendon problem has derailed his Gold Cup bid.
DON COSSACK (Gold Cup)
Gordon Elliott had to call time on Don Cossack's career last month after the 2016 Gold Cup hero sustained a recurrence of a tendon injury when back in training with a view to a bid for a repeat triumph.
CONEYGREE (Gold Cup)
Mark and Sara Bradstock decided not to enter Coneygree for this year's Gold Cup as the 2015 winner had not recovered sufficiently from the problem that ruled him out of the King George.
SPRINTER SACRE (Champion Chase)
The tip-top chaser was retired after picking up a leg injury in November. He suffered an irregular heartbeat at the end of 2013 that kept him on the sidelines for well over a year, yet Nicky Henderson and his team had worked wonders to get the 2013 winner to win the showpiece again in 2016.
VALSEUR LIDO (Ryanair/Gold Cup)
Henry de Bromhead's charge made quite an impression in winning a Down Royal Grade One by 11 lengths on his seasonal bow, but he could miss the rest of the season after sustaining an injury on the gallops last month.
AR MAD (Champion Chase/Ryanair)
Gary More decided not to rush Ar Mad back into action at the Festival, where he had a couple of options, after a setback forced the seven-year-old to bypass the Betfair Ascot Chase. He now has Aintree or Punchestown on his agenda.