This year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting will be missing one of their strongest challengers, as it was announced that last year’s runner up Sir Des Champs will miss the rest of the season. The horse, owned by Gigginstown House Stud and trained over in Ireland by Willie Mullins picked up a leg injury which will see him miss the remainder of the current season with a tendon problem.
The injury occurred at the Lexus Chase on December 28th, a race in which he was expected to show some improvement in, after his opening seasonal renewal at the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase didn’t go to plan as he fell. But after his run at Leopardstown in the Lexus Chase, where he finished fourth, he has pulled for the rest of the season.
Trainer Willie Mullins told his website: “He has suffered slight damage to a tendon. The injury is going to take time to heal so we have decided to pull the plug on the remainder of this season.”
The eight-year-old’s excellent effort in the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup saw him finish behind Bobs Worth, a result which was sandwiched by victories in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown and the Punchestown Gold Cup in April.
Sir Des Champs had been running at around 6/1 third favourite in the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup betting ante post market, and his withdrawal has just hardened Bobs Worth at the head of the market, who is now available at 2/1 with online betting site Bet365.
2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Odds at Bet365
Bobs Worth 2/1, Silviniaco Conti 7/2, Cue Card 7/1, First Lieutenant 12/1, Al Ferof 16/1, Boston Bob 25/1, Rubi Ball 25/1, Dynaste 25/1, Lord Windermere 25/1
