Festival Watch: Best laid plans go awry in final countdown to Cheltenham

Plotting and planning, scheming and strategising, it's all standard practice in the all-consuming build-up to the Cheltenham Festival.

But so is deep disappointment, even a little delusion, when everything goes wrong, wasting those endless hours prevaricating on your permutations.

Tizzard was reflective after being forced to withdraw Gold Cup favourite Thistlecrack from the Festival this week, after he was diagnosed with an tendon injury.

The same could not be said of those who'd backed the King George winner at fluctuating prices in the past two months.

Henderson simply shrugged his shoulders when Charli Parcs - a talented juvenile he has spoken so highly of and was targeting at either the Supreme Novices' or Triumph Hurdle - crashed out at Kempton yesterday, in a race he was an odds-on favourite to win.

And Geraghty - who suffered a cracked rib and partially collapsed lung in that fall - simply vowed to win his next race, a battle with time to be ready for the meeting in just 16 days.

"I got a bit of a kicking but the prognosis is not too bad," said the 34-time Festival winner, whose impressive book of rides makes him second favourite behind Ruby Walsh to again finish the four days as top jockey.

"I have a slightly collapsed lung and a cracked rib but the doctors are hopeful that I will be able to be back in time for Cheltenham and I'm hopeful too."

Increasingly, the story of this year's Festival build-up has been one of who won't line up at Prestbury Park, rather than who will.

Talented novice Thistlecrack, this season's hype horse, joins the last two winners of the Gold Cup - Don Cossack and Coneygree - on the sidelines.

Mullins's Faugheen and Annie Power, the last two winners of the Champion Hurdle, the Festival's first day showpiece, are also missing alongside other hot shots such as Min, Valsuer Lido and Ar Mad.

And then there was the retirement of Henderson's star charge Sprinter Sacre, last year's Champion Chase winner, and the tragic death of three-time Festival winner Vautour in a freak accident during training.

Rich Ricci has already been able to claim ownership of far too many ‘horse of a lifetime' - with an almost permanent place in the winners' enclosure in recent years.

But the passing of Vautour and untimely injuries to Faugheen and Annie Power have hit him hard.

"Usually, in a year, you expect horses to get injured - 12% is probably a worst case scenario but this year we're running at 25%. It's hard to take and it's been brutal," he said.

"It's been such a diabolical year that I'm not really sure how to describe it. It's not just the superstars and the big names, but there's been plenty others who have lots of potential who've been out for one reason or another."

Mullins and Ricci's troubles mean - after last year's share of the spoils with 14 winners each - Great Britain will be favourite to beat Ireland and regain the BetBright Prestbury Cup, which is awarded to the country with the greatest number of Festival winners.

"Last year was competitive throughout but I know the odds are stacked against Ireland, but I'm sure they will still be competitive," added Ricci. "We have got a few up our sleeves that might do all right."

Meanwhile, Henderson looks likely to target the quirky Peace And Co. at the Imperial Cup, three days before the Festival.

There's a £50,000 bonus for any horse that wins the Sandown feature and follows up at the Festival - though it's ten years since David Pipe's Gaspara last achieved the double.

Former Triumph Hurdle winner Peace and Co. hasn't been seen since pulling up at last year's Festival but worked out at Kempton this weekend with Champion Hurdle hope Brain Power and both impressed the watching Henderson.

"Peace and Co. is working extremely well right now. I'm not saying you are suddenly going to see another Lazarus, but you might do," he said.

"We've been doing lots of work at home and seeing a different horse."

Sportsbeat 2017