CHELTENHAM Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack will miss the rest of the campaign after suffering a tendon injury.
The dominant force in the staying hurdle division last season, the Colin Tizzard-trained nine-year-old won his first four starts over fences, including the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Despite a narrow defeat at the hands of the ill-fated Many Clouds in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham last month, Thistlecrack stayed top of the betting for the March 17 race.
Tizzard said: “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.”
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.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here