On what is truly a mouth watering day of racing at Leopardstown on Sunday, the Michael Hourigan trained Beef Or Salmon will be the main focus of attention in the €180,000 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup (Grade One). The classy 10 year old will be chasing the eighth grade one victory of his illustrious career and his record around Leopardstown is exemplary. Already the winner of three Lexus Chases and also successful in the 2003 renewal of this race before chasing home Rule Supreme 12 months ago, Beef Or Salmon will be out to enhance his Cheltenham Gold Cup prospects, a race in which he is the current ante-post favourite. His chief market rival on Sunday is likely to be last year’s Aintree Grand National hero, Hedgehunter, representing the Willie Mullins stable who has won six of the last seven runnings of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup while the likes of Jack High, Strong Project and Prince Of Tara will be hoping to make their presence felt in the 8 runner field.
Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup (8 Declarations):
Beef Or Salmon, Hedgehunter, Jack High, Native Upmanship, Nil Desperandum, Prince Of Tara, Rince Ri, Strong Project.
The Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase (Grade One) has attracted 11 runners with Ted Walsh’s Southern Vic out to complete a hat-trick of wins after winning well at Leopardstown and at Naas in recent weeks. However, the drop down to this shorter distance of two miles and five furlongs may not be totally in his favour and he also has to cope with some strong opposition with Paul Nolan’s Kill Devil Hill, Willie Mullins’ Our Ben and recent Gowran Park winner, Sher Beau, all sure to have their say in what could well be the best novice chase of the entire season.
The Deloitte Novice Hurdle is the third Grade One race on an excellent programme and here Noel Meade’s Mr Nosie bids to keep his unbeaten record intact. Successful over the course at Leopardstown in late December, he faces some talented rivals with Tom Taaffe’s Glenfinn Captain, Paul Stafford’s Blueberry Boy and Arthur Moore’s Royaldou sure to give him plenty to think about.
The first of eight races is off at 1.20 pm and there is a Jackpot Pool guaranteed for €30,000.