Punchestown News

Trainer Paul Nicholls today confirmed totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup third Neptune Collonges all set to bid to land the Grade 1 Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup for a second consecutive year.

John Hales? seven-year-old won the three mile and one furlong contest, run this year on Wednesday, April 23, by an impressive three and a half lengths in 2007 and he is on course to try and land the 275,000 euros prize once again.

"Neptune Collonges definitely goes to Punchestown," said Nicholls. "He?s in fine form at home and, since Cheltenham, the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup has been his target. He ran a great race in the Gold Cup and I was very, very pleased with him."

His opposition could include the locally-trained Kicking King, winner of both the totesport Cheltenham Gold and Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup in 2005.

Kicking King came through a workout this morning, which delighted his trainer Tom Taaffe. "Kicking King worked this morning, looks great and is very well at the moment," said Taaffe. "And he is on course for the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup. Everything we?ve entered is on course for Punchestown and I?d envisage having a larger team than normal at the Festival this year."

The Michael Hourigan-trained Mossbank, who finished second to Our Vic in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, is likely to be joined in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup by stablemates Hi Cloy and the 10-time Grade 1 winner Beef Or Salmon, who is set to retire after the race.

Beef Or Salmon, Ireland?s most popular horse of recent years, is sure to get a great reception after the race which he won in 2004.

"Hopefully, all three - Beef Or Salmon, Mossbank and Hi Cloy - will run in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup," said Hourigan. "Ground and weather permitting, Beef Or Salmon will go there and retire. We thought that it would be a good place to retire him and wouldn?t it be mighty if he went out on a high note.

"He needs to retire at a place where he?ll be recognised and he?s won that race before. We spoke about retiring him after the Irish Grand National - it was a big ask under top-weight but I never saw him jump so well.

"I rang the owners and told them to discuss it between themselves about going to Punchestown and they were keen for him to go out there. We won?t risk him on quick ground but we?d be hoping that it will come up right for him.

"The other two are on target. We?ll see how Hi Cloy is in the next week after Aintree. He ran a cracker there, jumped from fence to fence - you?d nearly love to have been riding him! He never touched a twig.

"Mossbank is fine. He ran well at Cheltenham and the form is standing up with Our Vic winning at Aintree. The trip just might not have been far enough for him in the Ryanair Chase."

Meanwhile North Yorkshire trainer Ferdy Murphy plans a step up in class for New Alco, who finished runner-up in the William Hill Trophy Chase at Cheltenham last month.

"I think New Alco was probably a little bit unlucky to finish second in the William Hill Chase at Cheltenham and he will run in the Guinness Gold Cup on the Wednesday of the Punchestown Festival," said Murphy.

The John Smith?s Grand National third, fourth, fifth and sixth, Snowy Morning, Slim Pickings, Bewleys Berry and Cloudy Lane, are among the other entries.

Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup (Grade 1)

Afistfullofdollars (Noel Meade)

Ballistraw (Denis Hickey)

Beef Or Salmon (Michael Hourigan)

Bewleys Berry (Howard Johnson GB)

Bothar Na (Willie Mullins)

Cailin Alainn (Charles Byrnes)

Chelsea Harbour (Tom Mullins)

Cloudy Lane (GB) (Donald McCain Jnr GB)

Euro Leader (Willie Mullins)

Forget The Past (GB) (Michael O´Brien)

Gungadu (GB) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Hedgehunter (Willie Mullins)

Hi Cloy (Michael Hourigan)

Homer Wells (Willie Mullins)

Kicking King (Tom Taaffe)

Knight Legend (Jessica Harrington)

Mister Top Notch (Davy Fitzgerald)

Mossbank (Michael Hourigan)

Neptune Collonges (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

New Alco (FR) (Ferdy Murphy GB)

One Cool Cookie (Charlie Swan)

Pomme Tiepy (FR) (Willie Mullins)

Preists Leap (Tom O´Leary)

Racing Demon (Henrietta Knight GB)

Royal County Star (Tony Martin)

Rule Supreme (Willie Mullins)

Run For Paddy (GB) (Carl Llewellyn GB)

Scotsirish (Willie Mullins)

Sher Beau (Philip Fenton)

Slim Pickings (Tom Taaffe)

Snowy Morning (Willie Mullins)

Turko (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

NICHOLLS HAS CHAMPION PLANS

Although Master Minded is not expected to line up in the Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday, April 22, his trainer Paul Nicholls still expects to be well represented in the 220,000 euros Grade 1 contest.

The British champion trainer has five entered in the two-mile showpiece and reports Cyril and Monica Hackett?s Natal, winner of the Grade 3 Connaught Gold Cup at Newbury on March 1, a likely starter at Punchestown along with Andreas, winner of last season?s Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham.

"Natal will probably run in the Kerrygold Champion Chase," said Nicholls. "He?s in good order and has come out of the Topham Chase fine. The owners are from Ireland so it?s highly likely that he?ll run. Andreas has got that as an option and is also a possible for the race."

Other entries include the 2007 winner Mansony, his Arthur Moore stablemate Tiger Cry, winner of this season?s Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase, Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase third Fair Along, from Philip Hobbs? Somerset yard, and the Howard Johnson-trained El Vaquero, who is set to run if performing well at Ascot on Friday.

Kerrygold Champion Chase (Grade 1)

Andreas (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Blueberry Boy (Paul Stafford)

Conna Castle (Jimmy Mangan)

Coolgreaney (Sean Treacy)

Don´t Be Bitin (Eoin Griffin)

El Vaquero (Howard Johnson GB)

Fair Along (GER) (Philip Hobbs GB)

Gemini Lucy (Jessica Harrington)

Howle Hill (Alan King GB)

Mansony (FR) (Arthur Moore)

Master Minded (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Natal (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Newmill (John Joseph Murphy)

Pablo Du Charmil (FR) (David Pipe GB)

Schindlers Hunt (Dessie Hughes)

Takeroc (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Tiger Cry (Arthur Moore)

Twist Magic (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Wanango (GER) (Tommy Stack)

TAKEROC HEADING TO SWORDLESTOWN

Takeroc, who finished second to Tidal Bay in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices? Chase at Aintree, last week is likely to line up in the Grade 1 Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase on Thursday, April 24.

Paul Nicholls? charge is entered in the Kerrygold Champion Chase but the trainer is favouring a tilt at the novice event with the progressive five-year-old.

"Takeroc is entered in the Kerrygold Champion Chase but he is more likely to go for the Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Chase on the Thursday. He?s come out of his race at Liverpool fine," said Nicholls.

Other entries include Thyne Again, who finished fourth in the Irish Independent Arkle Chase at Cheltenham, the John Quinn-trained Leslingtaylor, Grade 1 Dr P J Moriarty Chase winner J?Y Vole, Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup hero Conna Castle, Perce Rock, winner of a Grade 3 chase at Fairyhouse on his latest start, and Sky?s The Limit, who captured the Grade 1 Durkan New Homes Novice Chase at Leopardstown on December 26.

The Tom Taaffe-trained Finger Onthe Pulse, winner of the Jewson Novices? Handicap Chase, is set to miss the Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase and instead line up in the three mile and one furlong Grade 1 Ellier Developments Hanover Reach Champion Novice Chase on Tuesday, April 22.

"Finger Onthepulse has come out of Cheltenham very well and he?s going to step up in distance for the Ellier Developments Hanover Reach Champion Novice Chase. He?s in very good form," said Taaffe.

Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase (Grade 1)

Big Zeb (Colm Murphy)

Castleview Mills (Tom O´Leary)

Conna Castle (Jimmy Mangan)

Coolgreaney (Sean Treacy)

Desert Quest (Jeremy Gask GB)

Escrea (Paul Nolan)

Finger Onthe Pulse (Tom Taaffe)

Freds Benefit (Willie Mullins)

Gardasee (GER) (Kahlil Burke GB)

J´y Vole (FR) (Willie Mullins)

Lenrey (GB) (Arthur Moore)

Leslingtaylor (John Quinn GB)

Maralan (Oliver Brady)

Marodima (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Medicinal (Edward O´Grady)

Outlaw Princess (Philip Fenton)

Perce Rock (GB) (Tommy Stack)

Reisk Superman (Tony Martin)

Scotsirish (Willie Mullins)

Sky´s The Limit (FR) (Edward O´Grady)

Takeroc (FR) (Paul Nicholls GB)

Thyne Again (Liam Burke)

Wishwillow Lord (Leonard Whitmore)

AINTREE WINNER ELUSIVE DREAM HEADING TO PUNCHESTOWN

Elusive Dream, who beat Whiteoak to land the Grade 2 Mersey Novices? Hurdle at Aintree on Thursday, is set to bid for more big-race success at the Punchestown Festival.

The seven-year-old?s trainer Paul Nicholls is eyeing a tilt at the Grade 1 Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle on the Friday of the Irish National Hunt Festival, April 25.

"Elusive Dream is a possible runner in the Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles. He seems fine after his win at Aintree last Thursday," said Nicholls.

Entries for the Grade 1 ACCBank Champion Hurdle, Grade 1 Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle, Grade 1 Eventus Marquees Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle and ?110,000 Betfair.com Novice Handicap Chase will be announced on Wednesday.