'I really can't believe it' - Nicky Henderson rues Champ no-show in Gold Cup

Nicky Henderson provided some of the resistance to the green wave of Irish dominance this week but, in the race that matters more than any other, the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champ and Santini were out of the race before it had started in earnest.

The performance of Champ in particular proved a bitter disappointment, with last season's rousing come-from-behind success as a novice now eclipsed by an error-strewn round of jumping that forced Nico de Boinville to draw stumps after just six of the 22 fences.

The writing was on the wall for Champ as early as the first as, covered up on the inside, he lurched left and landed steeply, in an instant appearing to lose all confidence.

Champ makes an error at the first fence that set the tone for his below-par Gold Cup runCredit: Racing TV

De Boinville rode him away from the fence but, after making a slightly better job of the second, Champ clattered the first in the back straight.

A scruffy leap over the water was then followed by the pair skewing to the left at the fifth, the horse brushing through the wing. After more reminders there was little sign of a response and one fence later – less than two minutes into the race, 12 months of planning and dreams were already over.

"As Nico said, you wouldn't believe Champ was the same horse he rode at Newbury or everywhere else," said a bewildered Henderson. "He made mistakes at the first, the second and the third, and that was about it.

Champ brushes the wing as he loses further ground early onCredit: Racing TV

"I really can't believe it and I can't offer an explanation. He seems to have come back all right but we'll have to check him out from head to foot. Everything had been great."

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Furnished with a visor in an effort to aid concentration, Santini was patiently ridden by Aidan Coleman in the early stages but appeared to be travelling kindly.

But just seconds after Champ was pulled up, last year's runner-up dived at the seventh, coming to a near halt on the landing side.

All momentum lost, his jumping quickly unravelled and Coleman called it a day as the remainder of the field headed out on the final circuit.

Santini makes a notable error on the first circuitCredit: Racing TV

Coleman said: "I was okay and he was probably just starting to warm up when he made a bad mistake, and that was it really."

Henderson added: "Santini made a bad mistake. I came here with two good horses and I couldn't believe how quickly it was all over for us. If anything comes to light we'll say something, but at the moment it's inexplicable and very sad."

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