Spillane’s Tower out of Gold Cup due to ground conditions

Spillane’s Tower has been declared a non-runner in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, with connections of the opinion parts of the track are “still on the quick side”.

Thursday saw hot favourite Fact To File miss the Ryanair Chase for owner JP McManus, with trainer Willie Mullins saying: “You want to have the top horses at the best Festival, but if the ground is like this, we are not going to bring them.”

Twelve millimetres of rain overnight eased the official going description on the chase course to good to soft, soft in places, but McManus and trainer Jimmy Mangan have decided against running their Cotswold Chase winner Spillane’s Tower in the Festival’s feature event.

Mangan told the Press Association: “The ground is still on the quick side, especially down the hill.

“It’s very disappointing because he loved the place in January, but what can you do?

“I’ll speak to Frank (Berry, racing manager) and see where we go next.”

The McManus silks will still be carried in the Gold Cup by defending champion Inothewayurthinkin.