Tizzard to scan Thistlecrack tendon again to assess damage

Thistlecrack will have his tendon injury scanned again on Tuesday to assess the extent of the damage which forced Colin Tizzard’s chaser to miss the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The trainer said on Sunday there was no heat or swelling in the leg, with a comeback still programmed for next season.

Tizzard, speaking at Fontwell after Wizards Bridge gave him his 50th winner of the season, said: “We’re just going check it again. It’s not to make sure we got it right but to please ourselves. There was a little tear there but there’s no heat and no swelling. It’s not like he’s walking around with his leg in a bandage. It’s not very much."

Tizzard, who still has the first two in the Gold Cup market, Cue Card and Native River, said: “We had a pretty rough old week when he got injured but after 36 hours of feeling gutted I had to move on. We found the injury early, that’s the main thing.”

Cheltenham Gold Cup entries