Florida Runs in Hennessy

Florida Pearl will try for his fourth victory in Sunday?s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

'He will definitely be running and is in good form at the moment,' Mullins said on Thursday. 'He has won the race three times but he went wrong last year and was pulled up. It is the only time he has pulled up in his career.'

The veteran chaser had been due to take his place in last weekend?s Servo Computer Services? Ascot Chase but his County Carlow-based handler felt the horse wasn?t at his peak.

'I wasn?t too happy with him last week but he is in much better form now and will run on Sunday, along with Alexander Banquet' Mullins explained.

Richard Johnson rode Florida Pearl to his first victory for almost two years in the Grade Three Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse last month, and Mullins is hopeful of a repeat booking on Sunday.

'I?m hoping Richard Johnson is free as they have been lucky together in the past,' he said. 'After he runs on Sunday, he?ll probably go straight to Cheltenham after that (for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup).

Beef Or Salmon has been ruled out of a repeat bid for the event.

The eight-year-old took the Grade One event by four lengths last year but finished a well-beaten third to Best Mate last time out in the Ericsson Chase.

'He doesn?t run on Sunday as he has a little muscular problem on his hind quarter. I?m just not satisfied that he is 110 per cent,' trainer Michael Hourigan said.

The gelding fell at the third fence in last year?s Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and has been trained with another crack at the blue riband in mind.

'Cheltenham is not in any kind out of doubt. I would prefer to give him a prep run but if I don?t manage to, I can train him well enough without.

'It all depends on what the physio that is treating him says, but there is no question that we will get it sorted out.

'We just don?t want to do more harm to him than good.'

Conditions at the Dublin track are likely to be on the slow side of good following recent rainfall.

'We are currently soft at the moment and didn?t get as much rain on Wednesday as was forecast,' said the course?s racing manager Tom Burke.

'There is the possibility of a little bit of rain this evening but after that the forecast up until, and including, Sunday isn?t too bad.

'There should be some good dry periods with just some light showers each day but total rainfall is minimal and the ground could dry slightly.'

Burke also said that security at the track is being constantly monitored after threats made against Irish racing tycoons JP McManus and John Magnier over their involvement in financial in-fighting at Old Trafford.

'Like all situations, we will keep security under review and keep abreast of the situation,' Burke commented.