Madara and Kabral Du Mathan withdrawn as Cheltenham ground concerns grow
Dan Skelton rules Madara out of the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Kabral Du Mathan out of Saturday's novice chase as quickening ground disrupts Cheltenham's November meeting.
Dan Skelton has ruled Madara out of Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup and withdrawn Kabral Du Mathan from the novice chase on the same Cheltenham card, citing ground that has ridden quicker than connections expected on the opening day of the November meeting.
The champion trainer confirmed that four of his intended Saturday runners would not take part, including Top Guy and a bumper runner. Madara had been declared for the £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup, but his owner had already warned that participation depended on Friday's racing providing reassurance about conditions. Skelton's decision removes one of the more prominent contenders from the meeting's principal handicap.
Kabral Du Mathan had been due to contest the Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase. Skelton said feedback from his brother Harry, who rode in Friday's novice chase, was that the surface was quick. He indicated that Kabral Du Mathan could instead be kept for the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown.
Skelton was careful not to blame the racecourse staff, saying he understood that as much irrigation as possible had been applied. Nevertheless, he regarded the going as unsuitable for the horses concerned. The withdrawal of Madara, a Cheltenham Festival winner in March, is a notable change to the Gold Cup field declared on Thursday.
Friday's programme was itself affected by withdrawals and concerns about the racing surface. Gidleigh Park was taken out of the Shloer Chase, leaving Jonbon with only two opponents. The official description changed to good after the second race, while riders reported that the ground was riding quickly in places. Low sun also resulted in hurdles being omitted from some races.
Olly Murphy, who enjoyed a double on the card, expressed frustration at the difficulty of producing sufficiently yielding ground, while acknowledging the challenges facing clerks of the course. The prospect of another overnight frost complicated the question of further watering before Saturday's racing.
Nicky Henderson also indicated that Old Park Star's participation in the novice chase would be assessed in the morning, adding another uncertainty to a race already affected by Kabral Du Mathan's absence. Norn Iron was separately listed as a non-runner in the Paddy Power Gold Cup because of the ground.
The disruption follows an unusually dry autumn that has already led to fixture cancellations elsewhere, including at Ludlow and Wincanton. At Cheltenham, the immediate consequence is a weakened Saturday programme and difficult decisions for trainers balancing important early-season targets against the conditions their horses require.
Further withdrawals remain possible, and Saturday's final fields will need to be checked before racing.
By TP Editorial
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