Galopin Des Champs will miss this year's Cheltenham Festival after Willie Mullins confirmed the 2023 and 2024 Gold Cup champion has encountered a setback. Last year's runner-up is ruled out for the remainder of the season, with Mullins telling the 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." The Audrey Turley-owned gelding finished second to Gavin Cromwell's Inothewayurthinkin 12 months ago when attempting to join the ranks of Arkle and Best Mate as a three-time Gold Cup champion.

The ten-year-old has made two appearances this season, finishing third on both outings - in the Savills Chase on his seasonal debut and most recently behind stablemate Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup. The Gold Cup market now shows Fact to File and Gaelic Warrior as joint-favourites at 7/2, followed by Jango Baie (9/2) and Harry Redknapp's The Jukebox Man at 5/1.

Inothewayurthinkin is priced at 15/2 to defend his crown from 12 months ago. Mullins' shock Galopin Des Champs announcement comes shortly after jockey Paul Townend expressed confidence in the three-time Irish Gold Cup champion's ability to create further history.

"I know Galopin hasn't been at his brilliant best this season, but I don't think he's finished yet by any stretch of the imagination," Townend, a Betway racing ambassador, said. "He feels in great form at home, and we're all hoping he'll return to his peak on the biggest stage of all.

"Winning any Gold Cup is a massive achievement, but for him to go there, win a third Gold Cup, and regain his crown would be huge for everybody involved with the horse. It's probably the most open Gold Cup I can remember, and there are plenty of horses in there you could make a really good case for, but if Galopin can return to his best, then he'd have a massive chance."

The Cheltenham Festival kicks off next week on Tuesday, 10 March, with the renowned Gold Cup being the fifth race on Friday, 13 March.