Galopin Des Champs has been ruled out of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after suffering a setback.
Willie Mullins’ stable star won the showpiece in 2023 and 2024 and was second to Inothewayurthinkin last season.
This term he finished third in both the Savills and Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown but hopes of him becoming only the second horse after Kauto Star to regain his Cheltenham crown have now been dashed.
The trainer told Sporting Life: "Unfortunately Galopin Des Champs has been ruled out for the rest of the season. After working very well on Thursday morning he wasn't right on Friday morning and will miss the Gold Cup and the other spring Festivals."
Latest Cheltenham Gold Cup odds
- 4/1 - Gaelic Warrior
- 9/2 - Fact To File
- 5/1 - Jango Baie, The Jukebox Man
- 13/2 - Iknowthewayurthinkin
- 7/1 - Haiti Couleurs
- 12/1 bar
Odds via Paddy Power as of 20:40 GMT
Paddy Power are refunding all singles on Irish Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs after the news that he will miss the Gold Cup next week.
Bets in the non-runner no bet book will be returned as cash as per market rules, but singles, both online and retail, will be refunded as free bets.
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "Galopin Des Champs is in the Constitution Hill bracket as a public horse and we were really looking forward to seeing if his creditable third in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup would assist in securing a third Blue Riband.
"We are as gutted as punters that he won’t now be taking part and as this horse is loved so much, we thought the only course of action was to give backers their hard-earned back."
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