Cheltenham 2005 / news/

Kingscliff out of Gold Cup

Kingscliff, who has been vying for favouritism in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been ruled out of Friday's big race.

The Robert Alner-trained eight-year-old shot to the head of the blue riband betting after Best Mate was ruled out, but the 2003 Foxhunter Chase winner will now also miss the Festival.

The King George VI runner-up had drifted in the betting for the race in recent days and a poor piece of work has ruled him out.

Kingscliff's run at Kempton on Boxing Day had been his first since he was ruled out of last year's Gold Cup, for similar reasons.

Alner's wife Sally said: "I rode him myself and he just didn't work as well as he could, and if you go to Cheltenham you have got to be 110 per cent - a horse of his calibre cannot go to Cheltenham unless he is 110 per cent.

"We'll look forward to going to Punchestown with him now."

Owner Arnie Sendell told Racing UK: "I bought him as a three-year-old and he has had problems but is a hell of a horse.

"We shall go to Punchestown if all is well and try and win there, and we will go and come back for the Gold Cup next year.

"It is disappointing, but there you are."