Kingscliff had been well-fancied for the Gold Cup

The Robert Alner-trained eight-year-old was withdrawn on Tuesday morning after a poor workout.

The winner of the 2003 Foxhunters Chase at the Festival also missed last year's Gold Cup after being pulled out at a late stage.

Leading Irish challenger Rule Supreme has also been switched to run in the World Hurdle on Thursday.

He will attempt to stop the French-trained Baracouda winning a record third title in the stayers' hurdle division.

Alner's wife Sally said: "I rode him myself and he just didn't work as well as he could, and if you go to Cheltenham you have got to be 110% - a horse of his calibre cannot go to Cheltenham unless he is 110%.

I'm sorry that Kingscliff is out but well done to Connections who have taken the right decision From Jenny Have your say on Five Live

Normally he is a very good work horse, but he wasn't this morning. We did a bit with him, we didn't stretch him too much, but he didn't work well and we just have to face the reality.

"At least it's nothing major, it's not muscular or tendons or anything like that.

"It's extremely disappointing but as someone else said the other week, it's not a disaster - worse things happen and we live to fight another day

"We'll look forward to going to Punchestown with him now."

Rule Supreme had been quietly fancied for the Gold Cup on Friday after beating Beef Or Salmon at Leopardstown in February.

Trainer Willie Mullins said the drying ground had been a major factor in his decision.

Connections had been mulling their options after last year's Royal & SunAlliance Chase winner landed the Irish Hennessy last month, when he beat Gold Cup favourite Beef Or Salmon.

There were too many negatives to go for the Gold Cup Rule Supreme's trainer Willie Mullins

But the nine-year-old has also proved an impressive hurdler, having won the French Champion Hurdle last summer.

And he finished a close third to Baracouda and Crystal D'Ainay at Windsor in December.

"We have decided to go for the hurdle," said trainer Willie Mullins.

"We looked at the ground and it is drying. With no rain last night and only a little bit forecast we see that by Friday the ground could be fast.

"With Best Mate coming out of the Gold Cup, there could be a huge amount of runners and traffic problems.

"Last year David [Casey] said he was flat out in the SunAlliance and if he was flat out with all of that traffic, one mistake and the whole thing is over.

"There will only be eight or nine runners in the World Hurdle, if that even, and he jumps hurdles fantastic.

"That race has been our target all season and there were too many negatives to go for the Gold Cup.