HENNESSY HAT-TRICK FOR PEARL

Florida Pearl racked up his hat-trick of Hennessy victories at Leopardstown today, leading home a Willie Mullins 1-2 in the #110,000 contest.

A superb display of jumping under stand-in pilot Richard Johnson saw the 5-4f lead with seven fences to go and hold off the determined challenge of stable-mate Alexander Banquet (20-1) by two lengths.

The race was robbed of one of the main attractions when Nick Dundee got too low at the fifth fence. That left Alexander Banquet up front with Florida Pearl tracking.

The lead changed hands seven out and Richard Johnson was happy to let Florida Pearl bowl along in front. Dorans Pride threw down a challenge from four out but the winner was traveling smoothly in front.

He approached the last seemingly full of running and was asked for a big leap by Johnson but quickly came under pressure in the straight as Alexander Banquet finished with a real flourish.

'He's a tremendous horse and it's disappointing that he hasn't won a Gold Cup. He jumped superbly today and all the schooling we have done seems to have paid off. He enjoyed himself out in front today.' said Mullins afterwards.

As has become a common sight with Florida Pearl it appeared he was coming to the end of his tether late on but Mullins reasoned: 'I think that's just the way he is. He can idle a bit but when horses come to him he will pick up again.

'Paul Carberry said that in last year's Gold Cup he was idling until the horses came to him from behind and although he couldn't get to the winner he picked up again when challenged.'

Mullins was delighted with the performance of Alexander Banquet who was closing all the way to the line.

'I was pleasantly surprised as I didn't think he would be fit enough to do himself justice.'

On jockey arrangements for the big day in March Mullins said :'We'll get the horses there first and then worry about jockeys. I would think Ruby (Walsh) will ride Florida Pearl but I'll have to talk to the owners.'

Nick Dundee seemed none the worse for his fall and trainer Edward O'Grady reported him fine afterwards.

He could now go for the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on February 17th.

Mullins also has another Cheltenham candidate on his hands after Davenport Milenium made an impressive debut in the Madigans Flat Race.

The winner will head straight to Cheltenham but Mullins revealed 'I have one at home that's faster than him but I don`t know if he is better or not'

Sackville cemented his position as Ireland's top staying novice chaser and leading SunAlliance Chase contender with a smooth success in the Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase.

The gelding, sent off 8/11f, disputed a pedestrian early pace with Arctic Cooper while Well Ridden was held up ten lengths off the leading pair.

David Casey injected some pace into the contest with eight fences to jump and opened up an advantage over Arctic Cooper. His accurate jumping soon had his rivals struggling and he stretched clear after thelast for a 15- length success over Arctic Cooper with Well Ridden, never appearing to be in with a chance, coming home nine lengths further back last of the three.

Winning trainer Francis Crowley revealed that the winner could turn out again before Cheltenham: 'There is a race at Naas that we could go for or he might have a school. He would need to do something before now and Cheltenham.'

Corals cut the winner by a point in their SunAlliance market making him 5-1 behind Bacchanal, who is their 7-2 favourite.

Barry Cash received a two-day ban for his riding of Well Ridden which the stewards deemed injudicious.

Colonel Braxton put his stamina to good use in the Deloitte and Touche Novice Hurdle when scoring at 6-4.

The winner has looked in trouble three out but came back on to the bridle when switched wide by Kieran Kelly and cruised into contention two out. He opened up a gap after the last from Liss A Paoraigh to score by six lengths with Risk Accessor four-and-a-halflengths back in third.

Trainer Dessie Hughes said afterwards :'He handled the ground but no horse would want it any worse than that. On any ground better than that he is a serious horse. He's very strong and stays for ever.'

Corals reacted to the performance by slashing the winners price for the SunAlliance Hurdle to 7-1 from 16-1. Liss A Paoraigh is a 10-1 shot while Baracouda remains the 4-6 favourite.

Lisaan dented a few Cheltenham hopes with a shock 20-1 success in the opening Cashmans Bookmakers Juvenile Hurdle.

4-5 favourite Pittsburg Phil, who had been considered Ireland's main Triumph Hurdle hope, was a major disappointment and was a spent force from three out. It was later reported that he was very lame near fore.

Hill Port cut out the pace from the start and looked set for success until cut down by the powerful late surge of Lisaan. The winner still had quite a bit of ground to make up from the penultimate flight but stayed on resolutely to take up the running going to the last and stretched his advantage to four-and-a-half lengths over Hill Port at the line.

The William Durkan trained gelding is not entered in the Triumph Hurdle and has the Glenivet Hurdle at Aintree as his target.

Sheltering advertised his Cheltenham claims with an impressive front running performance in the Leopardstown Hunters Chase. Ireland's top point-to-pointer will line up in the Foxhunters Chase.

Ricardo gained compensation for his defeat in the Pierse Hurdle here last month when collecting the TC Matthews/Brintons Carpets Handicap Hurdle.