Mossbank gives Hennessy a miss The Michael Hourigan-trained Mossbank will head straight to the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. The eight-year-old gelding has looked better than ever this season and chased home Denman in the Lexus Chase last time out. He was a late defector from the field for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday as owner Michael O´Leary - the boss of Ryanair - sponsors the Cheltenham race, that has become his main target. "He´s a much better horse fresh and Michael was keen to go for the Ryanair," said Hourigan. "We do know that he is better fresh and there is only a month between them and if anything went wrong it would come too soon. "Also more than likely two-miles-five (furlongs) is his favourite trip." Hourigan is still represented in the Leopardstown feature by last year´s winner Beef Or Salmon, who faces seven rivals including The Listener, Nickname, Snowy Morning and Turko.
