Thistlecrack’s season ended by leg injury

Cheltenham: Another Gold Cup contender ruled out as Colin Tizzard’s favourite suffers tear on tendon

Thistlecrack became the latest highprofile name to be ruled out of next month’s Cheltenham Festival after suffering a season-ending tendon injury.

The dominant force in the staying hurdle division last year, the Colin Tizzard-trained nine-year-old won his first four starts over fences, including a scintillating victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Despite suffering a narrow defeat at the hands of the ill-fated Many Clouds in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham at the end of January, he remained at the head of the betting for the Timico Gold Cup on March 17, but will not line up at Prestbury Park.

Tizzard said: “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.”

The news comes as another huge blow to National Hunt racing’s showpiece meeting, with Thistlecrack joining the likes of Coneygree, Annie Power and Faugheen on the sidelines.

John Snook owns Thistlecrack along with his wife Heather and admitted the call came as a bitter blow.

Snook said: “It’s very disappointing, but it’s one of those things that happens with horses.

“They just found a little bit of heat in his leg and it might be that he feels better in a week or two, but you’d be risking everything if you carried on.

“We all get our fair share of bad luck. We’ve seen it happen to Willie Mullins with the likes of Annie Power and Faugheen, and of course Oliver Sherwood after what happened to Many Clouds.

“Whether it’s JP McManus, Rich Ricci or ourselves, we all want to get our horses to the festival and when something like this happens it knocks the stuffing out of you, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Despite Thistlecrack’s enforced absence, Tizzard still has a formidable hand for the festival showpiece.

Paddy Power make Thistlecrack’s Hennessy Gold Cup, Welsh Grand National and Denman Chase-winning stable companion Native River the new 5-2 favourite, just ahead of fellow Venn Farm inmate Cue Card at 3-1. Ladbrokes go 11-4 about Native River.

Snook will now be cheering on the other Tizzard runners in the Gold Cup and still has hopes of a festival winner of his own, with Thistlecrack’s halfbrother, West Approach, bound for the Albert Bartlett or the Stayers’ Hurdle.

PA. Thistlecrack, ridden by Tom Scudamore, wins the King George VI Steeple Chase on Boxing Day.

Colin Tizzard: still has high hopes of a Gold Cup winner despite the withdrawal of Thistlecrack.