On Sunday, 7th February 2010 Leopardstown Racecourse will host the 20th running of the Hennessy Gold Cup – Ireland’s premier Steeplechase. Although the race was previously known as the Vincent O’Brien Irish Gold Cup (first run in 1987) the present title was introduced in 1991, when Hennessy began its sponsorship of the Grade 1 three-miler at Leopardstown.
Throughout its history the race has served as the "lighthouse" on the way to the Cheltenham festival with many horses giving a strong indicator of their form particularly for the blue riband event of National Hunt - the Cheltenham Gold Cup. In the history of the race two horses have managed the double in the same year – Jodami (1993) and Imperial Call (1996).
Without doubt the biggest success story of the 20 years of the Hennessy Gold Cup has been the partnership of four time winner Florida Pearl (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004) and trainer Willie Mullins who has six wins (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 - Alexander Banquet, 2004, 2005 - Rule Supreme). Florida Peal was part of a famous rivalry with another much loved legend of Irish horse racing, Beef or Salmon, who along with Jodami has won with race on three occasions.
On the 15th January Leopardstown announced the early stage entries for the Hennessy Gold Cup, the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, the Deloitte Novice Hurdle, and the Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase, which will take place at Leopardstown on Sunday 7th February.
Competition will be intense for the Hennessy Gold Cup. This race has been the primary objective for the Paul Nolan-trained Joncol, winner of the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in December, since he finished third in the Lexus Chase last month.
"We were probably too aggressive with him in the Lexus," said Nolan this morning, "and I blame myself for that. Over two miles at Naas in October, we were caught for pace, and again in the John Durkan Chase over two and a half, it looked like In Compliance was galloping all over us turning in. I’m not going to make excuses, but you have to look for ways to beat these horses, and maybe if we are not so aggressive on him this time that will give us a better chance. The horse is 100% and on track for the race."
Willie Mullins has entered four, including last year’s Dr PJ Moriarty Chase and RSA Chase winner Cooldine, who coughed after running disappointingly in the Lexus Chase on his seasonal reappearance, and Glencove Marina, so impressive in winning the Paddy Fitzpatrick Chase at Leopardstown in January 2008, but off the track for almost two years before making an encouraging comeback over hurdles at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve.
Dessie Hughes is represented by In Compliance, Schindlers Hunt and Rare Bob, while Noel Meade has entered Aran Concerto and Casey Jones, and Jim Dreaper will be represented by last year’s Punchestown Gold Cup winner Notre Pere. From across the water, King George runner-up Madison Du Berlais, who has raced 40 times but never in Ireland, is an interesting entry from David Pipe, a rare visitor to these shores, while it looks like the Nicky Richards-trained Money Trix, one place in front of Joncol in the Lexus, will bid to go one better in the Hennessy.
The supporting card is fascinating. Willie Mullins looks set to mount a strong bid to complete a hat-trick in the Grade 1 Dr PJ Moriarty Chase, following J’y Vole’s win in the race in 2008 and Cooldine’s victory last year with seven entries, including last season’s top novice hurdler, Mikael D’Haguenet, who has yet to jump a fence in public, and Cousin Vinny, who became the first horse to win both the Cheltenham Festival and Punchestown Festival bumpers in 2008. The Charles Byrnes-trained Weapon’s Amnesty, beaten a short head by Pandorama in the Knight Frank Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, is on track for this contest, while the sole British entry, Take The Breeze from the Paul Nicholls yard, who also holds an entry in the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup at Leopardstown on 24th January, looked very good in winning a novices’ chase at Newbury over Christmas by a distance.
Last season’s champion bumper horse, the Philip Fenton-trained Dunguib, unbeaten in three runs to date over hurdles, is an eye-catching entry in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle, as is the Dermot Weld-trained Rite Of Passage, third behind Dunguib in the Cheltenham Bumper last March and winner of the November Handicap at Leopardstown at the end of last year’s flat season, while Carlito Brigante and Alaivan, first and second in the Inforthenight.ie Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day look set to meet again in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle, in which Paul Nicholls is triply represented via Advisor, Royal Mix and Pistolet Noir.
Tom Burke General Manager at Leopardstown said: - "It is fitting that the 20th Anniversary of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown looks set to be one of the most interesting and competitive renewals of recent years. The card is supported by a further three Grade 1 races including the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, the Deloitte Novice Hurdle and the Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase and we are looking forward to an exceptional days racing."
Leopardstown will be issuing the preliminary entries for the Hennessy Gold Cup,the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, the Deloitte Novice Hurdle, and the Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase on Tuesday 2nd February.