Stars line up at Leopardstown The entries for Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup Day this Sunday have been published including four Grade 1 contests (Spring Juvenile Hurdle, the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle and the Grade 1 Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase). Ten horses remain in for what is shaping up to be an excellent renewal the Hennessy Gold Cup including Bostons Angel, Quito De La Roque, Quel Esprit and Synchronised. Last season’s RSA Chase winner Boston Angel is also an intended starter and his trainer Jessica Harrington said: - “He seems to be fine. He worked last week and I was happy with him and the plan is to run at the weekend. He disappointed me at Sandown and before that he came down at an early stage in the Nicholson Chase on his first run of the season. He just wasn’t right, so we had to skip the Lexus Chase, but he is fine again now and we’ll try him with cheek pieces or blinkers on Sunday.” Quito De La Roque remains on course to line up in Sunday’s Grade 1 Hennessey Gold Cup. The eight year old disappointed connections at Christmas time, when third in the Lexus Chase, but his trainer Colm Murphy is hoping for a better performance at the weekend and said: - “He seems to be well in himself and we are looking forward to it. I don’t know what happened to him the last day - maybe he had a harder than we thought he had when he won the Nicholson Chase at Down Royal.” He added: - “the ground will be fine for him – he has won on everything.” Willie Mullins will be represented by the 5/2 favourite Quel Esprit as he attempts to win the Hennessy Gold Cup for the eighth time, while Gordon Elliot has indicted that Jessies Dream will line up in Sunday’s contest. The latter could be double handed in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle with His Excellency and Face Value while Willie Mullins is expected to run the unbeaten Ut De Sivola. Last Instalment bids to maintain his unbeaten record over the larger obstacles, when he lines up in the Grade 1 Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase. The seven year old has yet to put a foot wrong in three starts over fences and Philip Fenton said, “We’ve been happy with him since he ran at Christmas. The ground was fairly good the last day and I see that it has dried out a bit at Leopardstown over the last few days, but that isn’t a worry. The plan is that he’ll run and he seems to be in great shape.” Captain Conan, successful in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown last month has been supplemented for Sunday’s Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle. “He worked very well this morning and I spoke to Barry and he said why not give it a go, so the plan is to run.” stated Nicky Henderson. He added: - “He is a lovely big horse and he is a real chaser in the making, but there is nothing coming up for him over here so I supplemented him and we’ll see how he gets on. We could run him in an ordinary race with a Grade 1 penalty and not find out a great deal, so we’ll let him take his chance and that will tell where he’ll go for the rest of the season. He is a great big horse and he has already won a Grade 1 at home, so it will be interesting to see how he fares against some of the best novice hurdlers in Ireland.” He faces no easy task and Willie Mullins has left in Grade 1 winner Sous Les Cieux, along with stable companions Midnight Game and Terminal. Cash And Go, successful in a Grade 1 here at Christmas time, has been left in at today’s forfeit stage by Edward O’Grady. Pat Keogh, CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse said: “Hennessy Gold Cup Day at Leopardstown is the only day in Ireland that has four Grade 1 races, that always guarantees a very high standard of racing. We are delighted with the quality of entries for this Sunday, it promises to be a great day. There are a good few notable English horses coming and this will add to the excitement on the day. The Hennessy Best Dressed lady competition is a big attraction each year and always has a big following. The Hennessy Marquee will be swinging all day. So whether its horses, fashion or fillies you want, be sure to be in Leopardstown on Sunday for Hennessy Gold Cup Day.”
