Popular veteran chaser Florida Pearl is out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a ligament problem. The damage was found in one of the 12-year-old's front legs by trainer Willie Mullins today.
He is out for the rest of the season, and a decision on whether he will be retired or race on next winter has yet to be made.
Mullins said: "The horse did not appear 100 per cent this morning and after veterinary examination he was found to have a ligament problem.
"We have decided to rest him for the remainder of the season as we wouldn't have time to get him back even for the Punchestown Festival.
"We'll have to talk about it with the owners as far as next season is concerned."
Florida Pearl has been beaten in three attempts at the Gold Cup. He was third to See More Business in 1999, a personal best five-length runner-up to Looks Like Trouble 12 months later, but only 11th to Best Mate two years ago.
He has been a regular at Cheltenham, winning the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 1997 and the Royal & SunAlliance Chase the following season.
Last year he was dropped in trip for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but was only eighth behind Moscow Flyer.
Conqueror of Best Mate in the King George VI Chase at Kempton in December 2001, he was enjoying a successful campaign this time and won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown for an unprecedented fourth time last month.
He had been as short as 20-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but the news had little impact on the betting front. Best Mate remains the odds-on favourite for a record-equalling third successive victory.