Neptune Collonges Set to Take Centre Stage for Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup
Following the announcement today of the entries for the re-scheduled Hennessy Gold Cup, it was confirmed that Neptune Collonges, The Listener and Notre Pere will line-up for the much anticipated Grade 1 Hennessy Gold Cup, to be run at Leopardstown this Sunday (15th February).
It may be a week later than originally intended, but the elements have relented and it is full steam ahead now for Leopardstown’s re-scheduled star-studded Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup meeting this Sunday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Neptune Collonges is back on track for the feature event. John Hales’s grey gelding, third in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup and the winner of the last two renewals of the Punchestown Gold Cup, was a faller at the second last when travelling well in the Lexus Chase in December on his only visit to Leopardstown to date. He is out on a recovery mission, and he is a worthy favourite.
By contrast, his compatriot The Listener has raced at Leopardstown five times, winning the 2006 Lexus Chase and last year’s renewal of the Hennessy, and never finishing out of the first three on his four completed starts at the Foxrock track. Indeed, the only blemish on his Leopardstown record is when he fell at the second fence in the Lexus Chase six weeks ago. He is another on a recovery mission of sorts, top Irish jockey Andrew McNamara will be on board for the first time, and his trainer Nick Mitchell reports him to be in rude health.
The home defence is led by Notre Pere. Winner of the Grade 1 Knight Frank Chase over the Hennessy course and distance last season as a novice, Jim Dreaper’s gelding put up the performance of his career on his last start when he galloped away with the Welsh National at Chepstow in December under an 11-stone burden. This is a significant step up in grade for the son of Kadalko, but it is one which could be well within his compass, especially if the ground comes up testing.
The list of entries is completed by Air Force One, from the Charlie Mann yard, the Tom Mullins-trained Chelsea Harbour, and the Liam Burke-trained Thyne Again, who will be trying the three-mile trip for the first time in his racing career.
Two other Grade 1 contests will be staged at Leopardstown on Sunday, and they are just as interesting as the feature event. Willie Mullins has left both of his top novice hurdlers, Hurricane Fly and Cousin Vinny in the Deloitte Hurdle, while Colm Murphy looks set to run his leading bumper horse from last season, Zaarito, and Noel Meade has entered the high class hurdler Pandorama.
Nicanor is perhaps the most eye-catching entry in the Dr PJ Moriarty Chase. Noel Meade’s gelding, winner of the Sun Alliance Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2006 and the only horse to have ever beaten Denman over hurdles, has not been seen on a racecourse since he won the Grade 1 two-and-a-half-mile novices’ hurdle at the 2006 Punchestown Festival. It won’t be easy for him on his comeback run, however, with the Willie Mullins-trained Cooldine, the Dusty Sheehy-trained Trafford Lad and Edward O’Grady’s Tranquil Sea all set to take their chance in what promises to be a fascinating contest.
General Manager Tom Burke said: - “we are very pleased with the entries for the re-scheduled Hennessy Gold Cup meeting. Conditions are looking very positive for the weekend and we look forward to a most successful meeting on Sunday.”
NOTE: All tickets for the Hennessy Gold Cup meeting on 8th of February are valid this Sunday 15th February at Leopardstown.