Minella Rocco and Shantou Flyer out of Cheltenham Gold Cup Minella Rocco is a non-runner in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, trainer Jonjo O'Neill has announced. The Jackdaws Castle handler withdrew the JP McManus-owned eight-year-old on Friday morning due to concerns about the ground on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival. Cheltenham has sustained three millimetres of overnight rain, with the going soft, heavy in places. O'Neill tweeted: "Minella Rocco is a non-runner in today's Cheltenham Gold Cup due to the ground." McManus will still be represented in the race by the Joseph O'Brien-trained Edwulf and Tony Martin's Anibale Fly. Shantou Flyer was also declared a non-runner on Friday morning. Trainer Richard Hobson said that the eight-year-old, who finished second in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Tuesday, had "not eaten up". Minella Rocco and Shantou Flyer were joined on the sidelines by Double Shuffle. This season's King George VI Chase runner-up was taken out of the race by trainer Tom George as he, too, "had not eaten up".
