Cup shock as Farmer Jack dies

Gold Cup contender Farmer Jack died on the gallops today during what would have been his final workout for Friday's big race at Cheltenham.

The gelding, who had been supplemented at a cost of £17,500 for the Festival showpiece, was as short as 8-1 in an increasingly volatile ante-post market.

However, hopes of a fairytale Cheltenham success came to an end at the Minehead stables of trainer Philip Hobbs as the nine-year-old collapsed.

Hobbs was understandably dejected at the loss of a horse who was on a roll after winning two Gold Cup trials.

He said: "It happened at about 8.30am when he was just having a routine canter. We presume it was a heart attack, but we just don't know."

The loss of Farmer Jack from the Gold Cup cast a dark cloud over the Festival, coming hard on the heels of Best Mate's shock withdrawal due to broken blood vessels and Kingscliff's late defection after an unimpressive gallop.