RIVER RULED OUT
NATIVE RIVER will not attempt to regain his Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup crown after the 2018 victor was yesterday ruled out for the rest of the season with a tendon injury.
The Colin Tizzard-trained 10-year-old was as short as 9-1 to emulate Kauto Star – the only other Gold Cup winner to get his title back – on March 13 after successes in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree in December and Newbury’s Denham Chase last month.
But Garth Broom, of Native River’s owners Brocade Racing, reported yesterday: “It’s a suspensory tendon behind the knee, so that means he’s finished for the season.
“There are worse things to happen but when everything is based on hope and what might happen, when that is taken away it’s a bit of a blow.
“He’s done us really proud he doesn’t owe us anything but there was the feeling this was our last live chance in the Gold Cup – we were hopeful of a really good run from him in the Gold Cup,” added Broom, whose son of Indian River was also a gambled-on 8-1 shot for the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree on April 4.
Paul Townend will find it “very hard to get off” incumbent Al Boum Photo to partner Kemboy in the Gold Cup, according to the pair’s trainer Willie Mullins.
Townend was on board when Al Boum Photo delivered Mullins a first victory in steeplechasing’s most cherished prize last March.
The eight-year-old is Ladbrokes’ 100-30 favourite for back-to-back triumphs – Kemboy is 7-1 with the Magic Sign – and Mullins said yesterday: “I assume Paul’s going to ride him again and if I was Paul, I’d find it very hard to get off him.”
Al Boum Photo, who warmed up for the 2019 Gold Cup with a win in the Listed Savills Chase at Tramore on New Year’s Day, has followed the same path this time around.
Mullins added: “We’ve had no trouble with him this season – he’s going there in good order and a good frame of mind. I think he has a fantastic chance.”