Cheltenham Gold Cup: L’Homme Presse ruled out of March showpiece after vet checks reveal issues | Racing News

Leading Cheltenham Gold Cup contender L’Homme Presse will miss the Festival showpiece in March, the horse connection has announced.

Winner of six of his eight starts over fences, the eight-year-old had run a good race in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day before unseating Charlie Deutsch at the last fence, where he only looked to be held. in time by Bravemansgame.

Last season he won twice at the top level – in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

He has re-emerged this season with a good weight performance in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and is just behind the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup market.

A statement issued on behalf of the trainer Venetia Williams and the owner of DFA Racing to the PA news agency said: “We have given L’Homme Presse some time to get through the exertions in King George before doing some veterinary investigations that have been completed today.

“Unfortunately, it has been announced that he has some problems which, although temporary, mean that he will not be able to play in the Gold Cup this year.

“He will be given time and patience to fully recover and we will monitor his rehabilitation over the next few weeks before making a decision about racing in the spring.”