BRIAN HARDING'S Gold Cup hopes have been cruelly dashed by news that he will not be allowed to ride again until December, it was revealed yesterday.

The 24-year-old, who had been expecting to partner either Addington Boy or The Grey Monk for his boss Gordoni Richards in next month's Cheltenham showpiece, only discovered the news when he visited his specialist earlier this week.

Harding has been sidelined since he suffered a fractured skull at Newcastle on December 16th but had been hoping to be given the all-clear to return to action this week.

However, he explained yesterday: "When I saw Dr Gerber he told me that he would be recommending I should have a year off.

"I thought my fracture was healing well and I was feeling grand but he said I had had some sort of leg tremor, which they called a seizure, when I was concussed.

"I spoke to Dr Michael Turner (Jockey Club's chief medical advisor) and he said that means a year off.

"I think it was bad form that Tuesday was the first I had heard of it I knew nothing about it before.

"At least if I had been told I wouldn't have been getting excited about Cheltenham.

"I haven't thought about what I'll do for the rest of the year yet. The Injured Jockeys' Fund have looked after me so far but I don't know about the future I'll have to talk to Michael Caulfield of the Jockeys' Association."

Dr Turner confirmed that the jump jockey has been judged to have suffered a seizure after a fall and has been stood down for a year as a result.

"I have had a report from his specialist Dr Gerber and that confirms he had a seizure so under the guidelines he cannot ride until a year after the fall," he said.

"It is in line with our long-established practice due to the risk of a further episode which decreases over time.

"At the moment the risk is above what is acceptable but provided he doesn't have another case he can ride after a year and several top jockeys have gone on to ride big winners after a year off."

But Richards has blasted the decision to stand the jockey down until December.

"They say he had a fit. But who said he had a fit?" said Richards.