Defending champion Sizing John out of Gold Cup

Sizing John, the defending champion and 6-1 second favourite for this year’s race, has been ruled out of the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup a week today by his trainer Jessica Harrington after sustaining a hairline fracture to his pelvis.

The eight-year-old, who became the first horse to win the Irish, Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cups last season, looked as good as ever when he came back at Punchestown in December. However he ran a disappointing race in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase, when he was beaten by 32 lengths, after which Harrington decided to go to Cheltenham without another run.

However the injury was discovered at evening stables yesterday after a routine canter at Harrington’s Commonstown Stables. “Robbie [Power] rode him and felt that he wasn’t quite right and during a routine check this afternoon was found to be sore behind,” said Harrington. “I have had our vet Mark Redmond come and check him over. He found a non-displaced fracture of the pelvis. It’s a massive blow to all our team. It’s unfortunate, but nobody has died.”

Power will now switch to the Harrington’s other runner, Our Duke. Sizing John will now be out for the rest of the season and, if it proves anything, it is how hard it is to get a horse back to Cheltenham.

Of the past three Gold Cup winners Coneygree has been plagued by injury, Don Cossack never ran again and there must now be a serious doubt if Sizing John will ever return to his best.

There was better news for Ruby Walsh yesterday. He returned to action with a winner at Thurles after 3½ months out with a broken leg.