Tizzard star ruled out of Gold Cup
THISTLECRACK will miss the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the second year in a row.
The 10-year-old, forced to miss the race by a tendon injury in 2016, is now sidelined for the rest of the season by a stress fracture to a hind leg, his trainer Colin Tizzard (above) reported.
Jockey Tom Scudamore, on board for Thistlecrack’s brilliant victory in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day in 2016 — the pair finished fourth to Might Bite at Kempton a fortnight ago — said: “It’s hugely frustrating. He looked like he was going to be one of the superstars.” Thistlecrack had finished a wellbeaten fifth in Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle before his title defence at Kempton. But Scudamore, whose mount had been a 10-1 shot for the Gold Cup in March, added: “I thought the King George run was a massive step back in the right direction. “It felt like he was coming back to full fitness and back to his best. I feel for Colin and his team, and [owners] John and Heather Snook.
“But the horse is in the right hands and he lives to fight another day.”
an 8-1 chance for the JLT Novices’ Chase and 10-1 for the RSA Novices’ Chase, has also been ruled out of Cheltenham.
The Gordon Elliotttrained seven-year-old was a faller at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Owner Michael O’Leary’s brother and racing manager Eddie said yesterday: “It’s a problem with a hind joint.”