Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe ruled out for the remainder of the season

Last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe will not get the chance to go one better in March after meeting with a setback that has ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign, resulting in bookmakers cutting Galopin Des Champs into 4-7 favourite to emulate Best Mate, Arkle, Golden Miller and Cottage Rake by landing a third successive Gold Cup next month.

Trained by Gordon Elliott for Robcour, Gerri Colombe finished just three and a half lengths behind Galopin Des Champs in last year's Gold Cup and ended the season with Grade 1 success at Aintree in April.

He has run only once this season when finishing third in the Down Royal Champion Chase in November, but connections had been working back from a repeat bid in the Gold Cup before Monday's announcement.

"Unfortunately Gerri Colombe has met with a setback which means he will not run again this season," said Elliott in a statement. "It’s not career ending or especially serious but it’s come at the wrong time of the season, so we’re going to have to rule him out of the spring festivals.

Il Est Francais: scratched from the Gold CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"It’s a big blow for ourselves and the Robcour team but we will concentrate on getting him right for next season when hopefully all roads will lead back to the Gold Cup."

After Fastorslow's setback earlier in the season, this represents another one of Galopin Des Champs's main rivals ruled out for the campaign as he gears up for a tilt at a third successive Gold Cup next month. Should he do so, he will become the first to complete the prestigious treble since Best Mate in 2004 and the second since Arkle who landed his third in 1966.

The 11-time Grade 1 winner put in another typically dominant display on a memorable day at Leopardstown on Saturday to land his third Irish Gold Cup in a row, after which trainer Willie Mullins called him the best chaser he had ever trained.

Gerri Colombe had been as short at 8-1 for March's showpiece, with Galopin Des Champs odds-on with bookmakers to complete a Gold Cup hat-trick at Cheltenham on March 14.

Coral has cut the reigning champion into 4-7 (from 4-6) favourite to complete a slice of history in the Gold Cup after Gordon Elliott revealed his star chaser wouldn't be seen again this season.

"Gerri Colombe was the rival who got closest to Galopin Des Champs in last year's Gold Cup, so the news he won't be taking him on again in this year's renewal has seen the reigning champion shorten further at the head of the betting," said Coral's David Stevens.

On Monday King George second Il Est Francais was also scratched from the Gold Cup, but remains in the Ryanair Chase and Champion Chase, for which he is a top-priced 5-1 and 6-1 respectively. 

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