Punchestown Festival 2026: The Jukebox Man to miss Gold Cup

King George VI winner The Jukebox Man will miss the Punchestown Festival after suffering a minor setback. 

The Kempton winner fell short of glory in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, though it was discovered that he was suffering with a sore shoulder and a small breathing issue. 

Despite trainer Ben Pauling’s best efforts to prepare him for a run, The Jukebox Man will now miss his intended final outing of the season in the Ladbrokes Gold Cup. 

Pauling told Racing TV: “The Jukebox Man is not going to go (to Punchestown). He got puss in a foot last week and we’ve missed another two pieces of work, which is a real frustration.”

For exclusive stories and all the detailed Racing news you need, subscribe to the Racing Ahead website, digital edition, or magazine from as little as 8p a day.

Unbeaten run ended

The Jukebox Man’s Cheltenham defeat ended his perfect (4/4) run over fences, which began in November 2024. 

He went on to win the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day, 2024, before returning from an 11-month break to win the Graduation Chase in November. 

Pauling added: “I spoke to Harry [Redknapp] a couple of days ago and we’ve just decided that we can’t go back to a race like that (Ladbrokes Gold Cup) not spot-on. 

“He’s got so much ability and wants to do it so much, you don’t want to dishearten him by running him when he’s not quite right.

“We have had to fit in the wind operation and all the rest of it, so we were needing those pieces of work, so he won’t be going to Punchestown sadly.”

Gold Cup winner

The Jukebox Man traded as short as 14/1 to win the race later this month, in a market that is headed by the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Gaelic Warrior. 

He is one of five Willie Mullins-trained runners within the first six of the betting, including the 2025 Grand National winner Nick Rockett, Grangeclare West and Fact To File. 

With his final outing of the season now off the table, Pauling looked ahead to The Jukebox Man’s prospects for next season, saying: “I should imagine the Betfair Chase will be first on the agenda, followed by the King George and we’ll see from there.

“I’d love to have another crack at the Gold Cup. People will say he doesn’t stay that trip, but I don’t think you can judge a horse that made a noise coming down the hill as he did. 

“Ben Jones also said he was hanging left throughout the whole race and he was so sore in his left shoulder afterwards.

“You run up the whole season to get to that point and it just didn’t quite fall our way.

“I just know if he can be right and we get another crack, that would be the dream.

“You don’t get many horses this good, we’ll find out a bit more about his stamina in the Betfair and I’m looking forward to it.”

READ MORE: Field Of Gold set to make seasonal return at Sandown, says Barry Mahon