Bookmakers fear Envoi Allen for Gold Cup after news of Monkfish injury

Monkfish's season-ending tendon injury has resulted in a major shake-up in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup market with Minella Indo now 4-1 favourite with Ladbrokes and Paddy Power.

However, both firms report the defending champion's stablemate Envoi Allen is currently their biggest loser in the race.

Monkfish was the hottest favourite of the Cheltenham Festival in March, justifying odds of 1-4 in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase by six and a half lengths, and he has disputed favouritism for the Gold Cup ever since. But he will not bid to give Willie Mullins a third win in the festival showpiece next year.

Mullins confirmed: "Unfortunately, he has an issue with a tendon and it requires the season off."

Al Boum Photo: Willie Mullins still has two live Gold Cup chances headed by this two-time winnerCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The champion trainer still has two-time winner Al Boum Photo and runaway Ryanair victor Allaho in the top six in the market, but punters are keeping faith with Envoi Allen, who has been cut to 12-1 (from 20-1) by Paddy Power.

Speaking about the activity in their Gold Cup market in recent days, Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "After the sad news that the hugely exciting Monkfish was going to miss the season, we've nipped the top two in the market – Minella Indo is 4-1 from 6-1, while A Plus Tard is now 7-1 from 8-1. We think the first and second from last season's race are very dangerous.

"Would you believe that Envoi Allen is the biggest loser in our book? He was 20-1 but he's now third favourite with us at 12-1. We're scared of him and we certainly don't think we saw the best of him towards the end of last season."

Champ: the recipient of some support for the Gold CupCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

Nicola McGeady, head of PR with Ladbrokes, said Envoi Allen was also her firm's worst loser but pointed out that Champ has been popular following some upbeat comments from Nicky Henderson in the Racing Post earlier this week.

McGeady said: "Monkfish was our biggest ante-post liability in the Gold Cup, but now that he has been ruled out Envoi Allen is the worst result, closely followed by Champ.

"We have reacted to the Monkfish news by trimming the prices of a few behind him in the market, but the biggest move was for Champ this week following positive vibes from the Henderson camp. He's 20-1 from 33-1."

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