Blow for Wathnan Racing as Courage Mon Ami ruled out of Gold Cup for second successive year

Wathnan Racing's star stayer Courage Mon Ami will miss the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for the second successive year after suffering a setback.

Courage Mon Ami denied Coltrane when winning the Gold Cup as a four-year-old in 2023 under Frankie Dettori, but was ruled out of defending his crown the following year due to an injury. 

While the talented gelding was on track to run for the first time in 631 days in the Aston Park Stakes at Newbury this month, he was ruled out and is set for another spell on the sidelines.

"It's very frustrating," said Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown. "It's disappointing and he'd been in great form and had never been moving better." 

Courage Mon Ami went up 12lb to a mark of 118 after scoring at Royal Ascot before finishing sixth in the Goodwood Cup and second to Coltrane in the Lonsdale Cup that season for John and Thady Gosden. 

Courage Mon Ami (left): chased home Coltrane in the Lonsdale Cup at York in 2023Credit: Alan Crowhurst

However, he has been absent since and, with Royal Ascot out of the picture, Wathnan Racing are now eyeing the Group 1 Prix du Cadran on October 4.

Brown said: “He's going to be out for a few months but it’s not serious and he'll be back this year. We might go to Cadran – he'll be back before that, but that will be the main aim as Qatar sponsor the meeting."

Kyprios won the Gold Cup either side of Courage Mon Ami's success and will head to Ascot next month in search of a third triumph. He is a general 6-4 favourite after winning both his starts in Ireland this season. 

Gold Cup (Royal Ascot, June 19)
William Hill 6-4 Kyprios, 2 Illinois, 5 Sweet William, 7 Jan Brueghel, Trawlerman, 12 Candelari, 14 Sevenna's Knight, Tower Of London, 16 Absurde, Wonder Legend, 20 bar.

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